Craig Richards will return to boxing action in London on September 26 when he faces Radivoje Kalajdzic at the Copper Box Arena.
The light-heavyweight contest takes place as the chief support to the heavyweight clash between Johnny Fisher and Michael Pirotton, with live coverage broadcast on Sky Sports.
The bout marks the Londoner's debut under the Zuffa Boxing banner, following his decision to link up with the new promotional company. Victory in front of his home crowd is intended to relaunch Richards into world championship contention in the 175-pound division.
"I think going out there and putting on a statement performance against him puts my name in a hat for that world title, 100 per cent," Richards told Sky Sports. "I'm locked in. I'm ready to do a job."
"I want to be world champion," he added.
Formidable opponent from Belgrade
Kalajdzic, who hails from Belgrade, enters the bout coming off a major knockout victory over former WBC world champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk. The Serbian operator possesses high-level ring experience, having previously shared the ring with dominant champion Artur Beterbiev and stopped former world title challenger Sullivan Barrera.
In professional boxing, the light-heavyweight class is set at a weight limit of 175 pounds (79.4 kg). Kalajdzic has built a reputation across the division as a dangerous opponent capable of stopping top-tier contenders.
Previous world title challenge
Richards, who comes from Crystal Palace in South London, previously reached the highest level of the weight class in 2021 when he challenged Dmitry Bivol for the WBA light-heavyweight championship. Although Richards lost on points, he pushed Bivol to a unanimous decision that proved far closer than many experts had anticipated.
Bivol subsequently reinforced his position at the summit of the division by defeating Beterbiev to solidify his standing as the top light-heavyweight in world boxing. Richards believes that returning to that elite level remains well within his capabilities.
Fighting at the Copper Box Arena in Stratford gives Richards a familiar home setting. Constructed inside the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for the London 2012 Olympics, the indoor venue has established itself as one of the capital's premier locations for domestic and international boxing events.
Chasing a lasting legacy
Despite previous setbacks, the London fighter insisted that his ultimate goals in the sport remain achievable.
"My story hasn't been written yet," Richards declared. "I didn't do all of this and sacrifice everything to not accomplish my goals to be a world champion."
"So I feel like I should get a reward. I'm not being entitled, but I feel like the work I put in, I should get something back out of it. And that's to be world champion," he said.
"For sure, co-main-event fight in front of a home crowd, you know it's a good place to start. Execute on the night and we move forward from there."
Inspiration off the canvas
Outside the ring, Richards highlighted his friendship with footballer Eberechi Eze as a model of professional conduct. The boxer noted that Eze serves as an example of how an elite sportsman should behave, pointing out that despite his growing fame, the midfielder always makes time for others.
Eze plays as an attacking midfielder for Premier League side Crystal Palace and has represented the England national team. Both athletes share strong roots in South London, where local sports figures frequently maintain close community ties.
The September 26 card at the Copper Box Arena will test whether Richards can overcome Kalajdzic on Zuffa Boxing 11 and earn his way back into world title contention live on Sky Sports.
