By Jake Donovan

It’s Thanksgiving season, but an early Christmas present has already arrived for Isiah Thomas. The 26-year old southpaw from Detroit wasn’t the first to have been offered an opportunity to face Murat Gassiev, but he’s the only one to have accepted the fight.

The pair of unbeaten cruiserweight contenders will meet in a final elimination bout as sanctioned by the International Boxing Federation (IBF), with the winner to be named the mandatory challenger for reigning titlist Victor Ramirez. The bout is currently slated to land on December 29 at Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Penn., to headline a year-end edition of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Fox Sports 1.

Camp members for both teams confirmed the matchup, though declined to comment as the fight has yet to be formally announced.

Thomas (15-0, 6KOs) was originally slated to face Keith Tapia on the Dec. 8th installment of PBC on FS1, but naturally left that fight in the dust when presented with the chance to move within a shot at a world title. His last ring appearance came in July, scoring a 10-round decision over previously unbeaten Jordan Shimmell in Las Vegas.

The 6’4” southpaw – who is three inches taller than the Hall of Fame basketball legend by the same name – has been extended the distance in each of his last four starts. While not a knockout artist by any stretch, Thomas has been dominant in the ring even as co-managers Henry Rivalta and Garry Jonas have steadily increased his level of opposition.

His toughest test awaits, though the same can be said of his opponent.

Gussiev (22-0, 16KOs) is already being touted by his team as “the Gennady Golovkin of the cruiserweight division.” The validity of the comparison remains to be seen, although it makes sense as the 22-year old from Vladikavkaz, Russia is also guided by world-class trainer Abel Sanchez.

Finding opponents for the 6’3½” cruiserweight has been a tall order, understandable given his recent power surge. Gussiev has scored seven straight knockouts – including three in a row since debuting in the United States earlier this year. His toughest challenge to date has been finding a willing body to accept terms for a next fight

From the moment a final eliminator was ordered by the IBF, Gussiev - ranked #3 by the New Jersey-based sanctioning body - and his team went on the prowl. Rakhim Chakhkiev (IBF #4) would have been the logical choice, but suffered a shocking knockout loss earlier this month to veteran contender Ola Afolabi (#10), who collected the International Boxing Organization (IBO) title in the process.

On the same night that saw Chakhkiev get drilled, countryman and previously unbeaten Dmitry Kudryashov (#8) was also on the receiving end of a major upset loss. Olanrewaju Durodola recovered from a vicious opening round to stop the Russian knockout artist in the 2nd round of a wild shootout.

Unbeaten Danish cruiserweight Micki Nielsen (#5) remains without an opponent for a December 12 showcase appearance at home. On the same date, Tony Bellew (#6) faces Mateusz Masternak (#9) collide at the O2 Arena in London, vying for the vacant European Boxing Union (EBU) crown.

Former cruiserweight champ Marco Huck (#7) remains on the mend after a knockout loss to Krzysztof Glowacki this past August. The loss ended his lengthy record-tying title reign in a slugfest that remains a leading candidate for 2015 Fight of the Year, also damaging enough to where racing to a final eliminator with a rising star like Gussiev is perhaps not the best means for a comeback tour.

Germany’s unbeaten contender Noel Gevor (#11) and Ukraine-based Iago Kiladze (#13) do not have anything presently scheduled but were seemingly disinterested in entering a final eliminator at present time, while veteran spoiler Ovill McKenzie (#12) is barely a month removed from nearly lifting the crown from Ramirez, fighting the Argentine to a 12-round draw in October.

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox