Erislandy Lara's middleweight title defense against Tim Tszyu, confirmed weeks ago, finally received a date and venue: Dec. 12 at Cbus Super Stadium in Gold Coast, Queensland in Tszyu's native Australia.

Lara, 32-3-3 (19 KOs), will be making the fifth defense of the title he captured in a stoppage of Thomas LaManna in May 2021. He most recently won a unanimous decision over Johan Gonzalez last December in San Antonio.

Tszyu, 28-3 (18 KOs), a former junior middleweight titleholder, most recently sent Errol Spence Jnr into retirement in a unanimous decision win this past July in Sydney. He is currently riding a three-fight win streak, stabilizing his career after a four-fight stretch in which he lost to current junior middleweight titlist Sebastian Fundora (twice) and top contender Bakhram Murtazaliev.

The card will also feature former undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo against Brock Jarvis in a co-main event, and interim junior lightweight belt holder Elnur Samedov against Australia's Liam Wilson.

“I’ve worked my entire life to be in this position, and I’m blessed to have more opportunities like this to be a world champion and defend my title,” Lara said. “Traveling to Australia to fight Tszyu is something I’m really looking forward to. I know he’s a tough fighter, and I respect what he brings to the ring, especially fighting in front of his home fans. But I’ve been in big fights my whole career and I know what it takes to win at this level."

A tricky southpaw from Cuba, Lara, at 43, is only just now getting his due as a fighter. After years of being sidestepped by top fighters who saw more risk than reward in fighting him, Lara finally gets a fight – albeit halfway across the world, in his opponent's home country – against a top, in-his-prime foe.

“This is what I live for. Lara is a great champion and one of the most avoided fighters in the world. That is exactly why I wanted him,” said Tszyu, the eldest son of former undisputed junior welterweight champ Kostya Tszyu. “Spence was the first step. This is the one that matters.

"This fight is about legacy. My dad is a Hall of Famer and the greatest fighter this country has produced. Becoming a two-weight world champion is the one thing he never did. That is what I am chasing, and it drives me every single day."