Steve Dotse To Fight For World Title

Undefeated International Boxing Federation bantamweight champion Tim Austin (22-0-1, 20 KOs) will return to his hometown to defend his title against No. 6 contender Steve Dotse (18-3-2, 16 KOs), from Ghana, in the Cintas Center at Xavier University on June 16.

In what has been dubbed The Homecoming: The Cincinnati Kid Returns, Austin will put his 118-pound title on the line for the seventh time. Austin, widely regarded as the best bantamweight in the world, hasn't missed a beat since winning a bronze medal in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The bout is being promoted by Don King Productions and will be featured on the HBO Boxing After Dark series.

Dotse, now living in Atlanta, is a strong puncher that combines power with boxing skills. He beat Ricardo ``Chapo'' Vargas, a world-rated contender, on March 27, 1999, a fighter who had earned a draw against four-time world champion Johnny Tapia on May 6, 1995.

Dotse also battled to a hard-fought draw against world-rated contender Jorge Otero on May 15, 1999. In his last outing, Dotse fought to a draw against Bobby Tomasello, from Boston, on Oct. 20. Tomasello lapsed into a coma after the bout and died on Oct. 25.

In his last outing, Austin was the featured undercard attraction on the Holyfield vs. Ruiz 2 pay-per-view fight from Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on March 3. He faced an undefeated and unorthodox opponent in No. 1 IBF contender Jesus Perez, from Colombia.

Austin floored Perez with a straight left hand in the third round. The southpaw dropped Perez with another left in the sixth, and dropped him again later in the round before referee Kenny Bayless waved off the action at 2:02 into the sixth round.

Austin won his title against the legendary champion Mbulelo Botile in Nashville on July 19, 1997.