---
title: "Aleksandr Khizhnyak: Olympic Champion Returns to the Ring in Saudi Arabia in Joshua's Undercard"
description: "Olympic champion Aleksandr Khizhnyak returns to professional boxing! 🥊 On July 25 in Saudi Arabia, the Ukrainian will fight his second bout on the undercard of the show featuring Anthony Joshua. The opponent is currently being kept secret, but preparation at the \"Koncha-Zaspa\" base is complete. 🇺🇦👊"
date: 2026-07-11T17:20:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/aleksandr-khizhnyak-returns-to-the-ring-in-saudi-arabia-in-joshuas-undercard
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Aleksandr Khizhnyak: Olympic Champion Returns to the Ring in Saudi Arabia in Joshua's Undercard

![Olympic champion Oleksandr Khizniak in blue singlet with Ukrainian emblem waves hand, preparing to return to Saudi Arabia ring in Joshua undercard](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/11/aleksandr-khizhnyak-vozzhdenie-v-ring-saudi-aravii/aleksandr-khizhnyak-vozzhdenie-v-ring-saudi-aravii-1.webp)

Ukrainian boxer Aleksandr Khizhnyak, who became an Olympic champion in Paris, has officially confirmed his return to the professional ring. The 30-year-old light heavyweight will fight his second bout as a pro as part of a major show in Saudi Arabia.

The event, which promises to be one of the biggest of the summer boxing season, is scheduled for Saturday, July 25, and will take place in the kingdom's capital, Riyadh. Khizhnyak will appear on the undercard of the main event, where former world heavyweight champion Briton Anthony Joshua will face Albanian representative Christian Pranga.

### Opponent and Preparation

Organizers of the evening are currently keeping the name of Aleksandr Khizhnyak's future opponent a secret. Information about exactly who the Ukrainian athlete will fight will be released later. The boxer himself is in excellent physical shape and is finishing his training camp at the "Koncha-Zaspa" base.

It is worth noting that Khizhnyak's return to the pros was planned earlier. The athlete had the opportunity to debut at a show organized around the fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Danny Verhoeven, but the plans of the coaching staff and management changed literally on the last day. Now, all efforts are focused on preparing for the July fight in Riyadh.

### From Debut to Olympic Gold

Aleksandr Khizhnyak's professional career began in 2026. His first fight took place at the Rising Stars evening, organized by the promotional company Usyk 17 Promotions. In this bout, which was held in a six-round format, the "Poltava Tank" demonstrated his power, knocking out Colombian William Baron in a spectacular knockout in the first round.

Khizhnyak holds a special place in the history of Ukrainian boxing. He became the fourth Olympic champion from Ukraine, joining the elite ranks of Vladimir Klitschko, Vasyl Lomachenko, and Oleksandr Usyk. The path to the top was not easy: at the 2020 Games in Tokyo, Aleksandr won silver, and at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, he climbed to the top step of the podium in the up to 80 kg weight category, defeating Kazakhstani Nurbek Oralbay by judges' decision.

### Balance Between Pro and Amateur

Despite the active development of his professional career, Aleksandr Khizhnyak does not refuse amateur boxing. Alongside preparing for the fight in Saudi Arabia, he continues to compete in amateur tournaments. Recently, he won his first fight after his triumph in Paris, becoming the winner of the prestigious international Belgrade Winner Tournament in Serbia.

The second professional bout in Saudi Arabia will be an important stage in the Ukrainian's career, allowing him to test his strength on the international stage in the company of world boxing stars.