David Benavidez and Noel Mikaelian’s promoters are in advanced negotiations to stage a cruiserweight unification bout between the pair in the fall, BoxingScene has learned.
Sampson Lewkowicz and Don King participated in an extended conversation Wednesday morning in an effort to strike an agreement, with Lewkowicz telling BoxingScene he expects “to make a deal shortly.”
Unbeaten, three-division champion Benavidez, 32-0 (26 KOs), of Phoenix will defend his WBO and WBA belts against new WBC champion Mikaelian, 28-3 (12 KOs), of Armenia.
The talks were preceded by WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman ordering Mikaelian to immediately negotiate with WBC light heavyweight champion Benavidez last month after Mikaelian was said to be finalizing talks to fight former IBF champion and new Zuffa Boxing champion Jai Opetaia of Australia.
Lewkowicz said he and King are determined to finalize the talks for Benavidez-Mikaelian because of the mutual interest in unifying titles.
“We’re not fighting for trophies. We want titles. We want the legacy for Benavidez,” Lewkowicz said. “Opetaia has nothing besides making a good fight.”
Lewkowicz said Benavidez wants to stand as undisputed cruiserweight champion, which he can do by defeating Mikaelian and the next IBF champion, with Zuffa Boxing’s Chris Billam-Smith and unbeaten Viddal Riley in place to fight for the vacant belt.
