Congo's Ilunga Makabu defends his WBC cruiserweight title against Badou Jack on the undercard of Jake Paul v Tommy Fury on Sunday 26th February in Saudi Arabia.

The 35-year-old last tasted defeat at Goodison Park in 2016 at the hands of Tony Bellew and in recent years he has been linked with Mexican superstar Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.

This is Jack's fourth consecutive bout in the Middle East and he comes into this fight off the back of five wins, three by knockout. The 39-year-old was last in action on the undercard of the Oleksandr Usyk v Anthony Joshua rematch in Jeddah six months ago.

What	Ilunga Makabu v Badou Jack
Where	Diriyah Arena, Diriyah
When	Sunday 26th February, 2023
How to watch	BT Sport Box Office

When is Ilunga Makabu v Badou Jack

The fight is scheduled to take place on Sunday 26th February 2023.

What time is Ilunga Makabu v Badou Jack?

Television coverage of the six-bout card in Diriyah starts at 7pm, with this fight scheduled to start at approximately 9pm.

The main event ringwalks are scheduled for approximately 9.30pm.

Where is Ilunga Makabu v Badou Jack?

The fight is set to take place at the Diriyah Arena, in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.

This is only the second-ever boxing event held in the arena, which was first used in 2019 when Joshua beat Andy Ruiz by unanimous decision in their rematch.

Related Boxing News

Ilunga Makabu v Badou Jack: Fight Preview

Jake Paul v Tommy Fury: Jake Paul's WBC ranking explained

The open-air arena has a capacity of 15,000.

Can I watch Ilunga Makabu v Badou Jack?

Yes. The fight will be broadcast live on BT Sport Box Office.

Who is the favourite for Ilunga Makabu v Badou Jack?

There is currently no betting available for this bout.

Are there any belts on the line for Ilunga Makabu v Badou Jack?

This is Makabu's third defence of his WBC World Cruiserweight title. The Congalese fighter picked up the vacant belt in 2020 when beating Poland's Michal Cieslak.

What is Ilunga Makabu's record?

Makabu is best known for his defeat to Bellew at Goodison Park in 2016, one of only two defeats in his 31-fight professional career. His first defeat came on his pro debut in 2008.

The 35-year-old has a superb knockout record, stopping 25 opponents in his 29 successes. However, three of his last four bouts have gone 12 rounds and been settled on the judges' scorecards.

What is Badou Jack's record?

This is the first time in four years that Jack has fought with a world title on the line, which incidentally was the last time he tasted defeat.

The Swede, who resides in Dubai, has picked up 27 wins in 33 professional bouts with three losses and three draws on his record.

The 39-year-old has knocked out 16 opponents in his 27 successes, stopping three of his last four opponents inside the first four rounds.

Who else is on the card for Ilunga Makabu v Badou Jack?

Makabu and Jack are the chief support to Paul v Fury.

It is the only title fight on the six-bout card in Saudi Arabia,. Undefeated prospects Bader Samreen (7-0-0) and Muhsin Cason (10-0-0) feature on the undercard.