MICHAEL Conlan will fight former IBF featherweight title challenger Sofiane Takoucht in London on August 15 as the joint headline on a bill that will also feature Carl Frampton.

The Irish News understands that unbeaten featherweight Conlan (13-0) will take on French fighter Takoucht at the BT Sport studios in his first fight since December's points victory over Vladimir Nikitin at Madison Square Garden, New York.

Southpaw Takoucht (34) is 35-4-1 and a former France and EBU featherweight champion who took on former Carl Frampton opponent Josh Warrington in Leeds back in October last year when he was stopped the first time in his career.

His tendency to get squared-up cost him dear and ‘Leeds Warrior' Warrington put him down with a straight right hand early in the second. The French fighter was quickly back to his feet but was dropped again and the referee stepped in after another furious assault from Warrington.

Meanwhile, Frampton's opponent has not yet been confirmed. The two-weight world champion is hoping for a ‘tune-up' fight to get him in shape for a shot at Jamel Herring's WBO super-featherweight title.

New Yorker Herring was scheduled to defend his belt on Tuesday night in Las Vegas but, 24 hours earlier, was withdrawn after he tested positive for Covid-19 – for the second time. Herring had no issues with the first result and self-isolated but he conducted another test after his second positive reading and that result was negative.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has insisted that Herring will fight Frampton later this year.