By Ruslan Chikov

As BoxingScene.com has recently reported, unified WBC/WBO and universally recognized middleweight champion Sergio Gabriel Martinez had been stripped of the WBO portion of his regalia, and the World Boxing Organization’s 160lb belt is now vacant.

BoxingScene has already been advised by several Eastern Euro sources that a fight between WBO #1 Russian Dmitry Pirog (16-0, 13 KOs) and his WBO #2 counterpart Daniel “The Golden Child” Jacobs (20-0, 17 KOs) for a vacant title is being presently discussed by the Golden Boy Promotions, Pirog’s Russian handlers and the HBO. The collision of two highly touted unbeatens can take a broadcasting giant’s spot for July 31, which is the Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz pay-per-view in Las Vegas. Both parties are eager to put the fight on tap and the clash is also being pushed forward by the WBO.

Both fighters are ranked at top-15 by all four major sanctioning bodies. WBC #4, WBA #6 and IBF #12 Jacobs is coming of two 2010 short stoppages of Juan Astorga and Jose Berrio. WBC #5, IBF #11 and WBA #14 Pirog is widely regarded as one of the best Russian fighters P4P. He also stopped two opponents this year, Eric Mitchell and Sergey Melis.