Benavidez-Cieslak Reportedly In The Works

David Benavidez is reportedly being lined up to face interim WBC cruiserweight champion Michal Cieslak in November or December, as the division's title picture shifts dramatically following a series of developments on Tuesday.

Boxing journalist Abraham Gonzalez reported the matchup hours after Zuffa Boxing confirmed WBC champion Noel Mikaelian will instead defend his title against Ring Magazine champion Jai Opetaia on September 12th — on the undercard of Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The timing is significant. Earlier this year, the WBC ordered Mikaelian to fight Benavidez after approving the former heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight champion's petition to move up to cruiserweight. By accepting a unification bout with Opetaia instead, Mikaelian has put himself in direct conflict with that ruling — and placed the WBC in the position of having to decide whether to enforce its own order.

If Mikaelian is stripped, the title becomes vacant. That would make Benavidez vs. Cieslak the most logical fight to crown a new full champion.

Tuesday's picture was muddied further by conflicting claims earlier in the day. Promoter Don King told BoxingScene that Mikaelian already had a signed contract for a December 12th fight with Benavidez. Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz said Benavidez was preparing to sign the same agreement. Hours later, Zuffa Boxing announced Mikaelian had committed to Opetaia instead.

No official announcement on a Benavidez-Cieslak bout has been made. But if one comes, it will signal clearly that the WBC has chosen to strip Mikaelian and move forward without him.