Kiwi middleweight Andrei Mikhailovich is one win away from a world title shot after the IBF ordered him to fight in an elimination bout for the organisation's vacant belt.
The unbeaten Mikhailovich, who picked himself off the canvas to score a spectacular knockout win over Eddison Saltarin in his last fight in Auckland in April, is ranked fifth by the IBF, one spot below Denis Radovan, whom he will fight in July or August and probably in Germany.
Should Mikhailovich beat German Radovan, who is also undefeated, he will become the mandatory challenger to either No.1-ranked contender Esquiva Falco or No.3 Vincenzo Gualtieri. The No.2 position is vacant.
The IBF middleweight title is vacant since former champion Gennady Golovkin moved up to super middleweight.
"My goal is to be a world champion but not only a world champion, the Concord of boxing - to fly higher and faster than everybody else," Mikhailovich told 1News.
Mikhailovich added of his opponent: "He is a good boxer. I like fighting people who are good at what they do. If you have someone who is awkward or a bit different, it makes the fight a bit messy, so he'll be good and will try his best but eventually I'll just wear him down.
"You're actually looking at the hardest-hitting middleweight in the world."
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