By Elliot Foster

Billy Joe Saunders will finally return to the ring.

The WBO middleweight world champion hasn’t fought since winning the global honour last December.

But his in-ring hiatus is set to come to an end in a matter of weeks. His comeback is set to take place on October 29 in Manchester, England. 

Saunders (23-0, 12 KOs) was set to make a defence of his belt in April, against Max Bursak in London, before suffering a slight arm injury.

There was then talk of a potential rematch against Chris Eubank Jr., which didn’t materialise, before he was handed a spot on the undercard of Liam Smith’s WBO super-welterweight title defence against Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez on September 17 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

But that position was revoked after parties involved couldn’t agree a deal for Saunders’ opponent.

He then took to Twitter on Wednesday to confirm that he “will be fighting in October, 100 per cent.”

Boxing Scene understands that Saunders’ return will come as the chief supporting contest to Tyson Fury’s WBA Super, WBO and IBO heavyweight world title rematch against Wladimir Klitschko on October 29 at Manchester Arena. No opponent has yet been named for the fight.

Saunders then went on to say that he wants “the winner of [the] weekend.”

The weekend fight Saunders is referring to clash between Gennady Golovkin and Kell Brook at London’s O2 Arena, live and exclusive on Sky Sports Box Office, in which ‘GGG’s’ WBC, IBF and IBO middleweight belts will be at stake against IBF welterweight king ‘The Special One’.

Further information is expected to be revealed in due course.

Elliot Foster is the UK Editor for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @FreelanceFoz