Chris Kongo and Michael McKinson will fight for the WBO 'global' welterweight championship beneath Alexander Povetkin vs. Dillian Whyte 2 on Saturday March 6, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on DAZN in all other markets excluding the UK and Ireland.
Both combatants are currently undefeated, with defending champ Kongo (12-0, 7 KOs) in action at Matchroom's Fight Camp in August with an impressive ninth-round finish of Luther Clay.
Bermondsey’s Kongo clinically dispatched Luther Clay in nine rounds to win the WBO ranking Title at Fight Camp last summer, taking full advantage oh his first opportunity of the big stage to extend his unbeaten record to 12-0 with seven knockouts.
McKinson (19-0, 2 KOs), meanwhile, is a 26-year-old prospect who has held the WBC Youth, WBC International Silver and WBO European welterweight titles.
“I'm very excited, this is a fight that I’ve wanted for a long time,” said Kongo. “He was saying that he was far ahead of me, but now I’ve got the belt, the tables have turned.
“Michael has said he’s the most avoided, but I know I’m the most avoided, so we have to make it happen. The two most dangerous fighters in the division – we’re both getting it on now – so it’s a big fight.
“It’s not, can I solve ‘The Problem?’ I will solve ‘The Problem’ on March 6, guaranteed. In the Luther Clay fight, I said before it, someone is going to go down, and I definitely know it’s not me. Same way someone is going to go down in this fight, and it’s definitely not me again.
“It’s going to be an explosive win for me. This is what we train for, this is what we work for. I want the big risk fights. If you don’t take risks in life, you won’t get anywhere, so it’s all about taking another risk in my career.”
"I'm very pleased with this Chris Kongo fight," said McKinson. "It's a fight I have called for and I'm over the moon to get a fight that I want. I've wanted a big fight for a long time. I deserve one and I'm buzzing.
"It's a massive platform and one that I need in my career. I believe I was born to be on the big stage and I can't wait to show that on March 6. Chris Kongo is a dangerous fighter and a talented fighter, but there is no fighter like Michael McKinson. You can throw me in with anybody and I'd come out victorious.
"I've told Chris before many times that all they needed to do was make the call and the answer would be yes. Winning a fight like this can change my life and change my daughter's life, it can catapult me to even bigger things. That's why I'm in this sport, to do big things for my city of Portsmouth and big things for my daughter and make people proud, and that's what I'll do on March 6."
Also on tap for the Povetkin vs. Whyte 2 card, Ted Cheeseman (16-2-1, 9 KOs) meets Liverpool's James Metcalf (21-0, 13 KOs) for the vacant British super-welterweight title, heavyweight prospect Fabio Wardley (10-0, 9 KOs) steps up against USA’s former world title challenger Eric Molina (27-6, 19 KOs), Campbell Hatton – son of British fight legend Ricky Hatton – makes his professional debut at super-featherweight and also at super-feather, Youssef Khoumari (11-0-1, 4 KOs) faces Birmingham’s Kane Baker (14-7).
The event will air on Sky Sports Box Office in the U.K. Fight fans outside the U.K. and Ireland, meanwhile, will be able to tune in with a DAZN subscription.