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WBC super middleweight titleholder David Benavidez and mandatory challenger and former titleholder Anthony Dirrell have reportedly reached an agreement for a fight, canceling a purse bid that was scheduled for tomorrow.
Benavidez (20-0, 17 KO) won the vacant belt last September, beating Ronald Gavril in a Fight of the Year contender, and defeated Gavril more convincingly in a rematch in February.
Dirrell (32-1-1, 24 KO) won the WBC title from Sakio Bika back in August 2014, losing it to Badou Jack in his first defense in 2015. Since then, he’s won five straight, notably beating Caleb Truax in 2016. Last time out, on April 28, he won a wide decision over Abie Han.
Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz wants to put the fight in September, but we’ll see. It looks like it’s coming late summer or early fall, though, and it’s a nice matchup between the 21-year-old titleholder and the 33-year-old veteran, who has still looked plenty sharp in recent outings.