Billy Joe Saunders To Return To The Ring On December 22

Billy Joe Saunders may not end 2018 as the WBO middleweight champion but he will have the chance to end the year with a win on one of the biggest British boxing cards.

Saunders will fight Zoltan Sera on the undercard of the Josh Warrington vs. Carl Frampton fight for the IBF featherweight title on December 22. 

— BILL UPDATE —

Former WBO World Middleweight Champion @bjsaunders_ returns next Saturday on the huge @RealCFrampton v @J_Warrington at the @ManchesterArena live on @btsport box office — #WarringtonFrampton pic.twitter.com/NjI7OLfev3

— Frank Warren (@frankwarren_tv) December 12, 2018

The undefeated Saunders has not fought throughout all of 2018. Saunders was supposed to fight Martin Murray for the WBO title on a number of occasions throughout the first half of the year. Saunders was injured on two separate instances which postponed the bout and eventually canceled it.

The 29-year-old Saunders was set to defend his world title against Demetrius Andrade on an October boxing card in Boston, but Saunders failed a drug test weeks before the fight. Saunders was denied a boxing license by the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission as a result and later vacated the title. Saunders held the WBO title since defeating Andy Lee back in 2015 and has made three successful title defenses.

Sera is a Hungarian fighter who has fought from junior middleweight all the way to light heavyweight. Sera, who sports a 32-17-1 record as a pro, has gone up against the likes of Liam Smith, Avni Yildirim and Caleb Plant. The 33-year-old will be fighting for the fifth time this year, amassing a 2-2 record in fights in 2018.

The card will take place at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. The card will be streamed on ESPN+ in the United States.