Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), Probellum and Global Jabes 77 held a joint press conference in Bogota, Colombia, to announce WBC bridgerweight champion Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (28-1, 19 KOs) will make his first title defense on August 13th at home against Poland's Lukasz Rozanski (14-0, 13 KOs) at the Estadio Olimpico Pascual Guerrero stadium (40,000 capacity) in Cali, Colombia. There will be five to seven bouts on the card, which are expected to be announced within the week.

 

A native of Colombia and a 2008 Colombian Olympian, Rivas will be fighting at home for the first time as a professional boxer having settled in his adopted home of Montreal 13 years ago when he signed his initial promotional contract with GYM. Rivas, who was born in Cali, captured the inaugural WBC bridgerweight (201-224 pounds) last October, taking a unanimous decision from Nova Scotia’s previously undefeated Ryan Rozicki.

 

“I have three dreams I want to realize before the end of my boxing career,” Rivas said. “I want to establish myself as the absolute best bridgerweight fighter, defend my title in Colombia, and become world heavyweight champion.”

 

Rozanski is a a former Polish national heavyweight champion. In his most recent action (May 30th), Rozanski registered his best victory to date, upsetting fellow Pole Artur Szpilka (24-4), a former world heavyweight title challenger, by way of an explosive first-round knockout. “I’m highly motivated and in the best shape of my life,” Rozanski commented. “I have what it takes to win this fight.”

 

The fighters also announced where their training camps will be held: Rivas in Bogata, Rozanski in Chicago. Rozanski will work there with his fellow countryman, former light heavyweight title holder Andrzej Fonfara, who moved from Poland to Chicago, which has nearly 2-million Poles living there.