Former junior welterweight titlist Ruslan Provodnikov hopes to be back in the ring in October or November, promoter Artie Pelullo of Banner Promotions told ESPN.com on Tuesday.

Pelullo said he is talking to HBO about a fall date but that Provodnikov is a television free agent.

“We're waiting to see if they have an offer for Ruslan and we’re basically figuring out the best course of action,” Pelullo said. “There are a lot of great fights out there for him and lots of interest, not only from HBO.”

One fight that many fans have expressed interest in is Provodnikov in what would surely be an action-packed fight with welterweight contender Brandon Rios, who is also on the hunt for a big fall fight.

Provodnikov is coming off a majority decision loss to Lucas Matthysse on April 18 on HBO in a brutal slugfest that is the leading candidate for fight of the year.

Showtime made an offer for that bout, but HBO won the bidding war for the bout. One would imagine that Showtime would probably also have interest in Provodnikov's next fight.

Pelullo said if he can’t secure an American TV deal he would take Provodnikov back to his native Russia, where he fought in November.

Provodnikov (24-4, 17 KOs), 31, has been in several excellent fights, including his close decision loss to Timothy Bradley Jr. in a welterweight world title bout that was named 2013 fight of the year and his 10th-round knockout of Mike Alvarado in Alvarado’s hometown of Denver to win a junior welterweight belt in 2013.