06.06 - According to Dan Rafael, USA TODAY, undisputed junior welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu is going home and former champion Sharmba Mitchell will be there to greet him. For the first time in his 11-year pro career, Tszyu will fight in his native Russia when he meets Mitchell in a rematch on Sept. 27 in Moscow (Showtime).

"The deal is done," Showtime boxing boss Jay Larkin told USA TODAY on Thursday, shortly after concluding negotiations with Tszyu promoter Vlad Wharton and Mitchell promoter Gary Shaw.

"Everybody has agreed," Larkin said. "It is as done as anything can be. Everything has been ironed it. There are no outstanding issues."

The fight will be officially announced Monday.

"I'm really proud of Kostya Tszyu," Shaw said. "I think it etches in granite that he is a true champion when he chose not to duck Sharmba Mitchell. He didn't have to fight him. I think this is what boxing is supposed to be about, the best fighting the best."

Tszyu (No. 1 USA TODAY, 30-1-1, 24 KOs), who has lived in Australia since turning pro in 1992, has said many times that he wanted to fight in Russia before retiring.

Mitchell (No. 5, 52-3, 27 KOs) lost his belt to Tszyu in a February 2001 unification fight when an injured knee prevented him from continuing after the seventh round. Tszyu went on to knock out Zab Judah to become undisputed champion.

Mitchell has vigorously campaigned for a rematch with Tszyu. Since knee surgery following the loss, Mitchell has won five consecutive fights, including a dominant points win against Ben Tackie last month. He also won an easy decision against Vince Phillips, the only man to beat Tszyu.

"Sharmba has said repeatedly this is the fight he wants," said Jeff Fried, Mitchell's attorney. "It means more than just a title to him. It's unfinished business. He truly felt at 100% he would have beat Tszyu last time."

Said Shaw, "Sharmba is 100%. There are no excuses. He worked his way back."

Although Larkin wouldn't reveal terms of the deal, he said Mitchell, of Washington, D.C., was getting a premium purse for agreeing to go to Russia. Mitchell made $900,000 for the first fight but will make less for the rematch.

"He believes he'll win, but yes, there's a price to pay to get him to go," Larkin said. "He didn't want to go to Moscow or Australia, but that was one of the terms."

Said Fried, "Would our preference have been to fight domestically? Yes. But when the opportunity arises you jump at it. Inside the ring, it's all the same."

Larkin said the fight will be held the Luzhki, a 20,000-seat indoor venue in Moscow.

Shaw said fighting far from home won't rattle Mitchell.

"I want to get Sharmba there early," Shaw said. "We'll walk the streets, meet the people, let them know and like Sharmba so when the fight starts Sharmba will have some of his own fans there."

Mitchell has experience fighting overseas and on hostile territory. When he won his 140-pound title in 1998, he did it in France against hometown hero Khalid Rahilou.

"Sharmba has good experience leaving the country to get a title," Shaw said. "He knows he has to go get it."