By Yuri Tarantin

28-year-old Russian boxer Maxim Vlasov  (30-1, 15KOs) is very motivated with the opportunity to face undefeated 23-year-old Mexican contender Gilberto Ramirez Sanchez (30-0, 24KOs). The bout will take place within the light heavyweight, but not at the full limit of 175-pounds. The fight is going to take place at the catch-weight of 171-pounds. The fight will be the HBO televised co-featured attraction to the Mike Alvarado-Brandon Rios trilogy.

"On January 3rd we're going to fly to the US with my trainer Victor Petrochenko and welterweight Aik Shakhnazaryan. There we are going to have the final stage of my preparation for the upcoming battle. We learned about the proposed fight more than a month and a half ago and by that time I was already in full swing. I've done the strength work in conjunction with the work on my boxing technique. Therefore was plenty of time [to get ready]," Vlasov said.

"We'll have to go down to 171-pounds, a weight I no longer make. But for this fight I'm ready to go through with it. I am really very happy that I finally received an opportunity like this.  I have always aspired to get such fights. It is these type of moments that motivate me and give me strength."

Yuri Tarantin covers boxing for Allboxing.ru