Kazakh WBA middleweight champ aims to annex David Lemiuex’s IBF title when the two knockout artists go to war on October 17th at Madison Square Garden. The fight, to be shown on HBO PPV, has a packed undercard featuring flyweight king Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez as well as Ireland’s own Eamonn O’Kane.

It’s a long way from Derry for the 2010 Commonwealth gold medalist who takes on Bahamanian Tureano Johnson in a middleweight title eliminator that offers a path to the victor of the main event.

O’Kane is currently training in California ahead of the potentially life-changing fight, and he intends to take the opportunity with both hands at the spiritual home of stateside boxing.

Speaking to Golden Boy Promotions, O’Kane declared that “I am looking forward to proving I am the next great middleweight champion on October 17.”

“I have been waiting for this opportunity my whole career and now that it is finally here I am glad it will be at the ‘Mecca of Boxing,’ Madison Square Garden.”

His opponent Johnson, who is promoted by Golden Boy, said that “I am grateful for the opportunity that has been awarded to me, to be able to fight in the IBF Middleweight Title Eliminator.W

“It was long awaited, I feel like I am halfway there on the path to accomplishing my goal to becoming a world champion and with Golden Boy Promotions at my side I know it’s inevitable.”

“HBO Pay-Per-View is a major platform and I’m excited to have been chosen and featured as one of their televised fights. I know that the fans have high expectations and they will not be disappointed.”