Edinburgh southpaw Josh Taylor will look to become a world champion when he takes on Ivan 'The Beast’ Baranchyk in Glasgow on Saturday night.
The 'Tartan Tornado', a member of the McGuigan stable, battles undefeated IBF super-lightweight champion Baranchyk in the main event at the SSE Hydro that doubles up as a World Boxing Super Series semi-final.
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Taylor, 14-0 as a professional with 12 knockouts, earned his title shot by dominating American Ryan Martin at the same venue in November en route to a comprehensive seventh-round stoppage.
Freddie Roach-trained Belarusian Baranchyk won the vacant IBF strap by beating Anthony Yigit in the quarter-finals.
One of these fighters will have a chance to become unified super-lightweight champion, with WBA titlist Regis Prograis awaiting in the final after halting Kiryl Relikh inside six rounds in Lafayette, Louisiana last month.
Date, UK start time and venue
Taylor vs Baranchyk takes place at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland on Saturday May 18.
The main event is scheduled to get underway at 10pm at the earliest, depending on how the undercard fights progress.
The chief support for the bout is a meeting between Japanese sensation Naoya ‘The Monster’ Inoue and Emmanuel Rodriguez.
TV channel and live stream
The fight will be shown live on Sky Sports' Action and is available via Now TV with a day pass on offer for £8.99.
Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match online via SkyGo and the SkyGo app.
You can also follow all the action with Standard Sport's LIVE blog.
Undercard coverage begins at 9pm.
Betting odds | Provided by Betfair | Subject to change (UK and Ireland only)
Fight odds
- Taylor to win: 1/4
- Baranchyk to win: 7/2
- Draw: 22/1
Method of victory
- Taylor to win via points or decision: 5/6
- Taylor to win via KO/TKO: 2/1
- Baranchyk to win via points or decision: 13/2
- Baranchyk to win via KO/TKO: 9/1
Click here for more betting odds.
Prediction
Taylor to become Scotland's first world champion since Ricky Burns via decision.
Undercard
- Emmanuel Rodriguez vs Naoya Inoue
- Paul Butler vs TBA
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Apinun Khongsong vs TBA
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Zach Parker vs Steven Crambert
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Lee McGregor vs Cristian Narvaez
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Chantelle Cameron vs TBA
-
Tommy Philbin vs Harry Matthews
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Reece McFadden vs Georgi Georgiev
