PHOENIX — David Benavidez and Michal Cieslak will meet in a three-belt cruiserweight unification on 5 December on DAZN PPV, with the bout officially scheduled a week earlier than expected to steer clear of Joshua vs Fury. Though none of the parties specified the location in their social media announcements, both BoxRec and Piotr Jagiello of TVP Sport report the event will land in Phoenix, in line with earlier reporting.
The unification materialised after Noel Mikaelian’s Zuffa move cost him the WBC cruiserweight title for declining to face mandatory challenger Benavidez (32-0, 26 KO). Poland’s Cieslak (28-2, 22 KO) claimed the interim belt two Junes ago when he smashed up Jean Pascal, extending his knockout streak to seven since his failed title bid against Lawrence Okolie back in 2022. He has fallen short in his two biggest fights to date, but has not gone to a decision win in two Presidential administrations and should combine with Benavidez for an action bout.
No official undercard has been announced, but piecemeal reporting has outlined the supporting bouts. Per Julius Julianis, Vergil Ortiz Jr will meet Keith Thurman in a clash of generations, while interim WBC middleweight champion Jesus Ramos Jr — currently waiting while full champion Carlos Adames handles a voluntary defence against Gerome Warburton and then mandatory challenger Meiirim Nursultanov — will face an opponent to be announced. Chris Mannix adds that Elijah Garcia will face rising Irishman Tommy O’Toole in a super middleweight showdown.
The Phoenix unification will put three belts on the line and, if successful, should set the stage for a bout with Jai Opetaia for all the marbles next year. The confirmation builds on David Benavidez to Face Michal Cieslak in Cruiserweight Unification as the cruiserweight picture sharpens heading into winter.