Editor's Note: The WBO says the fight is a final world title eliminator and not for an interim-title.

By Elisinio Castillo

Former world champion Omar Narvaez said he was given the number one ranking under the World Boxing Organization, at bantamweight.

And in August of this year, he expects to face Russian boxer Nikolay Potapov for the interim-title, as South African Zolani Tete was recently declared as the full champion of the sanctioning body.

Narvaez, 42 years old, was enthusiastic about this new possibility that emerged after several failed attempts to stage an IBF bantamweight eliminator against undefeated rising Puerto Rican boxer Manny Rodriguez.

Potapov, born in Podolsk and now residing in Brooklyn (United States), is 27 years old, right-handed, and undefeated in 18 fights (17 wins and a draw).

On March 11, he won the bantamweight title of the North American Boxing Organization (NABO) by beating Mexican Antonio "Carita" Nieves by way of a split decision. It was a controversial battle held in Detroit, where some ringside observers felt the win should have gone to Nieves.

Prior to the win over Nieves, the majority of Potapov's fights have taken place in Russia.

Narvaez has been away from the ring since June of last year, when he won a unanimous decision victory over Breilor Teran. It was the third win in a row for Narvaez since a quick knockout loss at the hands of Japanese sensation Naoya Inoue in December of 2014.