By Alexey Sukachev

Oppositely to previously reported news, WBO middleweight champion Dmitry Pirog (18-0, 14 KOs) could end up fighting his mandatory and fellow compatriot Gennady Martirosyan (22-2, 11 KOs) - not in the States or in Moscow - but in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar. Pirog, the only active Russian pro champion, met local governor Alexander Tkachev earlier today as part of the international Children’s Day.

“I want to drag this bout back to Krasnodar”, said Pirog. “I have reached agreements with promoters, managers and TV bosses. All what I need is a big arena – around five thousands people – to make this fight”.

According to Tkachev, this is surely not a problem. “It’s exactly what we are aiming at. A unique arena, named Basket-Hall, opens pretty soon. Its capacity is more than 7,500 spectators, and that is what you need”, answered the governor.

Pirog, 30, was born in nearby Temruk and leaves in the neighboring city of Gelendzhik, at the seashore of the Black Sea. Martirosyan, 31, is ranked #1 by the WBO.