According to the EBU, European heavyweight champion Labinot Xhoxhaj, 20-0-1 (16 KOs) will defend the title against mandatory challenger, 13-0 (10 KOs) Frenchman Mourad Aliev, on June 7 in Hamburg, Germany, on an event promoted by Universum Box Promotion.

However, according to Ahmet Oener, whose Arena Box Promotion promotes Aliev, nothing is concrete yet. Oener, currently in Saudi Arabia for the WBC Grand Prix, can confirm that Xhoxhaj-Aliev will not go ahead in Croatia May 23 as was first planned but will go ahead in Germany with date and site to be confirmed.

The June 7 show is certainly set to go ahead, however, with Universum - headed by Ismail Oezen – set to stage their first show since December. Cuban heavyweight Jose Larduet, 13-1 (11 KOs), will return after the upset loss to Bohdan Myronets against an opponent to be announced.