TOLEDO, Ohio — Undefeated heavyweight boxer Jared "Real Big Baby" Anderson's (15-0, 14 KO) next opponent has been confirmed, according to a report by ESPN.
The 23-year-old Toledo native will face 39-year-old Andriy Rudenko, of Ukraine, on Aug. 26, according to ESPN. Rudenko has a record of 35-6 with 21 knockouts. A match in 2008 ended in a no contest.
Top Rank boxing confirmed the fight Friday.
Top Rank has an event scheduled for Aug. 26 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Catoosa, Okla., just outside Tulsa. It will be broadcast on ESPN and Anderson will be in the main event.
“I want to stay active and make my case that I am the present and future of the heavyweight division," Anderson said. "Rudenko is a tough, durable veteran. I respect what he’s accomplished in the game, but on Aug. 26 at Hard Rock Tulsa, he’s going to regret accepting this challenge.”
This will be Anderson's return to the ring after he maintained his undefeated record against Charles Martin in a 10-round classic on July 1 in front of an electric Huntington Center crowd of 7,234.
Anderson stands at six feet, four inches tall. Rudenko stands at six feet tall. Anderson has a reach of 78.5 inches, compared to Rudenko's 73 inches.
While Anderson will be returning to the ring about two months after his last fight, Rudenko hasn't fought in two years. His last match went six rounds and ended in a knockout loss to fellow Ukrainian boxer Vladyslav Sirenko in December 2021.
Prior to Sirenko, Rudenko beat Italian boxer Andrea Pesce by unanimous decision in July 2021 and Ukrainian boxer Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko by unanimous decision in September 2020.
Anderson is No. 7 in the WBO heavyweight rankings. Only two of his professional fights have lasted beyond the third round.
“This is another great test for Jared. When you watch him fight, you are seeing a future heavyweight champion of the world,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Rudenko is a crafty veteran who has been in there with some top guys. The fans at Hard Rock Tulsa are in for a real treat.”
Anderson was originally slated to face Kazakhstan's Zhan Kossobutskiy on July 1. However, Top Rank announced just 10 days before the event that Kossobutskiy (19-0, 18 KO) was forced to withdraw due to visa issues. He was replaced by Martin.
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