Dejan Zlaticanin plans autumn return

Zlaticanin has not fought since January

Former WBC Lightweight Champion Dejan Zlaticanin was on the wrong end of what might be 2017’s Knockout of the Year this past January. Despite the frightening brutality of that loss, the 33-year-old Montenegrin claims he’s far from done, planning to return to action in late October or early November. “Dynamite” hopes to fight in the USA against Orlando Salido, which would be some must-watch action.

Zlaticanin (22-1, 15 KO), his record anchored by wins over Petr Petrov, Ricky Burns, and Ivan Redkach, stepped into the ring against Mikey Garcia as around a +200 underdog. The line proved somewhat generous, as Garcia dismantled him over the course of nearly three full rounds before putting him down with savage right hands.

Despite the loss, though, there are plenty of appealing matchups to be found at 135, including fellow WBC top-tenners Ray Beltran, Richard Commey, and Denis Shafikov. Zlaticanin’s heaps of fun in the ring, so here’s hoping he gets some quality opponents right off the bat on his return.