On Saturday, December 17, Alfonso Blanco will defend his interim WBA World middleweight title against Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam over a scheduled 12 rounds at Stade de l’Est in Saint-Denis on the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean.

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, but fighting out of Oxnard, California, 30-year-old Blanco turned pro in 2010, though out of the ring in ’13 and ’14. First-ranked by the WBA, undefeated Blanco (12-0, 5 KOs) last fought in October 2015, winning the title by defeating Siarhei Khamitski via unanimous decision.

A Frenchman by way of Cameroon, 32-year-old N’Jikam is a 12-year ring vet (34-2, 20 KOs) who won the vacant WBA International middleweight title in June 2010 by knocking out Omar Gabriel Weis in the eighth, the interim WBA World middleweight title four months later by beating Avtandil Khurtsidze via unanimous decision, and the WBO interim belt in May 2012 by beating Max Bursak via unanimous decision. Upgraded to full championship status that August, after Dmitry Pirog was stripped, N’Jikam lost the title two months later to Peter Quillin, who won by unanimous decision. Ninth-ranked by the WBA, never-stopped N’Jikam’s other loss came by way of David Lemieux, who won the vacant IBF World middleweight title by unanimous decision in June 2015. N’Jikam last fought this July, stopping Tomasz Gargula by seventh-round TKO.

This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.