Richards and Kalajdzic to headline Zuffa Boxing 11 co-main event

Craig Richards will face Radivoje Kalajdzic in a 10-round co-main event on September 26 at the Copper Box Arena in London. The light heavyweight matchup is part of Zuffa Boxing 11, a card featuring heavyweight Johnny Fisher that will be broadcast on Sky Sports and Paramount+.

Both fighters enter the ring with top-10 rankings from various major sanctioning bodies. Richards holds a professional record of 20-4-1, while Kalajdzic stands at 30-3 with 22 knockouts. The pairing offers a competitive contest at the 175-pound limit between two experienced operators.

Richards, 36, arrives in this bout following a three-fight winning streak. Since his June 2024 loss to Willy Hutchinson, he has secured stoppage victories over Boris Crighton, Padraig McCrory, and Dan Azeez. His career includes a 12-round bout against Dmitry Bivol in 2021 and a previous stint as the British light heavyweight champion.

Kalajdzic is 35 and has built his professional career in North America. The Serbian-born fighter possesses significant knockout power and most recently defeated former light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

Public response to the announcement has been divided. Some observers view the fight as an entertaining and balanced contest, while others argue that two fighters outside the absolute elite of the division are occupying a high-profile position on the card.

Despite the debate over their standing, the bout provides a high-level test for both men. The match is structured as a competitive encounter between two ranked athletes whose skill levels are closely aligned.