David Benavidez is closing in on a three-belt cruiserweight unification fight against WBC champion Noel Mikaelian in November. Victory would add the WBC belt to Benavidez’s WBA and WBO titles, leaving him one win away from undisputed status.
Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz confirmed to BoxingScene that a verbal agreement is in place for Benavidez to meet Mikaelian, with official contracts expected to be signed this week. The fight is targeted for November. Benavidez enters the matchup holding the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles, meaning a win over Mikaelian would consolidate three of the four recognized world titles under his ownership.
The dynamics of the cruiserweight division shifted significantly following Jai Opetaia’s recent loss of the IBF title. Opetaia was widely regarded as the division’s most complete and dangerous operator, largely due to his relentless pressure, southpaw stance, high durability, and punch output. Overcoming Opetaia for the final championship belt would have offered definitive proof of Benavidez’s supremacy at the weight.
Instead, the pathway toward full unification has taken a different route. The vacant IBF title will be contested on 8 August in a fight between Floyd Masson and David Nyika. British cruiserweight Viddal Riley is already positioned in line to challenge the winner of that bout. Neither Masson, Nyika, nor Riley currently carries the elite reputation or danger profile that Opetaia brought to the division.
While winning the final title against Masson, Nyika, or Riley may attract less critical acclaim than defeating Opetaia, securing all four belts remains an historic milestone. Titles are earned in the ring, and becoming an undisputed champion would solidify Benavidez’s place in boxing history. His focus now shifts to finalizing the paperwork for the Mikaelian fight in November before targeting the remaining IBF belt.
