As if the October 7 boxing card in Yokohama, Japan couldn't be more front loaded, the World Boxing Super Series adds another world title fight.
After it was announced that Naoya Inoue would fight Juan Carlos Payano in a first-round fight in the WBSS bantamweight tournament, the tournament announced that Kiryl Relikh will fight Eduard Troyanovski on that same card. The fight between Relikh and Troyanovski, for Relikh's WBA junior welterweight title, is also a first-round fight in the WBSS 140-pound tournament.
This will be Relikh's first world title defense after winning the vacant belt, previously held by Terence Crawford, against Rances Barthelemy back in March. Relikh won the fight, which was a rematch from their May 2017 fight that saw Barthelemy pick up the victory. Barthelemy enters the fight as the WBSS' No. 3 seed boxer in the 140-pound tournament, below No. 2 Josh Taylor and top seeded Regis Prograis.
Troyanovski signed up for the World Boxing Super Series as he is the mandatory challenger to Relikh's title. Troyanovski previously held the IBF and IBO title but lost the belts in late 2016 when he was knocked out by Julius Indongo. The two fighters were automatically placed in a first-round matchup while Taylor and Prograis each got to pick their opponent for their quarterfinal fights.
The bout between Relikh and Troyanovski won't be the only one at Yokohama Arena with a world title at stake. The fight between Inoue and Payano will be for Inoue's WBA "regular" bantamweight title and a third title fight will also take place: Ken Shiro vs. Milan Melindo for Shiro's WBC light flyweight belt.
