Deontay Wilder will face Robert Helenius in the American's first fight since his second defeat by Tyson Fury.
Wilder has been sidelined since his trilogy-fight loss to Fury last October but remains highly-ranked and in line for a shot at Fury's world title if the Brit vacates. He will first have to overcome Finland's Helenius at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on October 15.
Wilder will the likely be ordered to fight the winner of Joe Joyce's clash with Joseph Parker next month, assuming Fury is serious about retiring from the ring.
On announcing his return, Wilder said: "It’s been a long journey for me and as of today it continues. I thought so many times about whether I should stay out of the business or come back. Once I got my statue in my hometown and saw so many people arrive and celebrate with me and my family, to see all the emotions, grown men crying in front of their children and saying he is a real true king, made me feel like my job is not done.
"So, here I am once again, looking forward to returning to the ring. I am looking forward to coming to Barclays Center, a place where I have had my most devastating knockouts and a place I consider my second home."
Helenius has won his last three fights, including back-to-back wins over Adam Kownacki, the second of which was on the undercard of Wilder's final defeat by Fury. "It’s great to be back at Barclays Center in an even bigger fight than my last one," he said.
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"I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time and I’m going to be ready. I’m going to produce an even bigger upset than I did with Kownacki. I’m going for the belt, so this is a fight to prepare me to achieve that goal. I can only become the best heavyweight in the world by beating the best and that’s what I intend to do on October 15."
The undercard will feature a clash between former super-middleweight world champions Caleb Plant and Anthony Dirrell.
