Kavaliauskas-Arriaza eliminator planned for November 16

A WBO welterweight eliminator between Egidijus Kavaliauskas and Roberto Arriaza is being planned for November 16, according to Dan Rafael, with the fight set to air on ESPN+ as the co-feature to a Maurice Hooker-Alex Saucedo main event from Oklahoma City.

Kavaliauskas (20-0, 16 KO) has been on the radar for Terence Crawford for a bit now, and if Crawford successfully defends his title on Saturday against Jose Benavidez Jr, he’ll be looking for his next opponent. And, unfortunately, it probably isn’t going to be someone from “across the aisle” like Errol Spence Jr.

Kavaliauskas, a Top Rank fighter, makes sense as an opponent. It’s an easy fight to make.

But first he’ll have to get past Arriaza (17-0, 13 KO), an unbeaten, 28-year-old Nicaraguan. Arriaza has mostly fought at home, and that can build a record, but he’s 4-0 on U.S. soil, too, so he’s not a total fabrication. He’s fought twice in the States this year, beating Sammy Valentin and Juan Ruiz.

Kavaliauskas, 30, was last seen in July, beating a game Juan Carlos Abreu over 10 rounds. It wasn’t the most impressive showing for the Lithuanian, and there had been talk at the time of him being next for Crawford, potentially. That didn’t pan out, but he’s right there with his chance at the chance.