German Tom Schwarz (29-1) and Belgian Ryad Merhy (32-2) are now the co-challengers for the vacant EBU heavyweight title.

Merhy is # 14 in the latest EBU ratings but beat #10 ranked Frenchman Tony Yoka last time out and should thus go up a few steps. Schwarz was already official challenger when then champ Agit Kabatel relinquished the title.

Deadline for purse bids are January 22 at noon.

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Former EBU, WBC International and Italian light heavyweight champ Yawe Davis has passed away at the age of 61. Davis fought professionally for almost 20 years with a record of 45-11-3 .

Davis fought three Olympic Gold medal winners in Slobodan Kacar, Henry Maske and Frank Tate. He was also in against the likes of Carl Thompson, Clinton Woods, Crawford Ashley and many others.

Davis was born in Uganda but became an Italian citizen in 1992 and fought his entire career with Italy as his base.

He also did some acting. 

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The always well-informed Tim Boxeo reports on X that Dina Thorslund's defense of the WBC bantamweight title against Turkey's Seren Cetin (11-0) will go ahead on February 24 in Denmark.

It's not confirmed by Danish Fight Night and promoter Bettina Palle.

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Dane Kem Ljungquist (16-0) squares off against Belgian Bilal Laggoune (26-4-2) on March 9 at the classic KB-Hall in Copenhagen. 

At stake in the headliner of this Kem Ljungquist Promotion is the vacant WBA Intercontinental Bridgerweight title.

Ljungquist has previously held the WBC Bridgerweight title and later the IBF International heavyweight crown.

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Mike Coppinger was first to report that former unified light heavyweight champion Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev (35-4-1) will return on February 17 in Riyadh, as part of the undercard to the heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.

The opponent for Kovalev is Las Vegas-based Swede Robin Safar (16-0). 

Safar has been based in the U.S. for over five years now and has done well - but the fight against Kovalev represents a big step up in class. 

The fight is made at cruiserweight.