Title chance for Flanagan

BOXING IN a coup for Australian boxing, Queensland slugger Mark Flanagan will trade bombs with Russian destroyer Denis Lebedev for the World Boxing Association cruiserweight title in Moscow on July 10.

Eight days after Jeff Horn takes on Manny Pacquiao at Suncorp Stadium, Flanagan will also try to bring down one of the heaviest hitters in the sport.

Flanagan, 26, will start a big underdog against the 90kg southpaw who was once trained by Russian-born former world champ Kostya Tszyu.