Artur Beterbiev and Fanlong Meng are eager to meet in the ring, but their handlers now face the threat of third party intervention to determine when and where that fight will take place.
With the 30-day free negotiation period passing without a deal being reached, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) has called for a purse bid hearing to determine who will get to promote the aforementioned light heavyweight championship fight.
The purse bid hearing is scheduled for Dec. 30 at IBF headquarters in Springfield, New Jersey.
Beterbiev (15-0, 15KOs) became a unified titlist and lineal light heavyweight champion following his thrilling 10th round knockout of previously unbeaten World Boxing Council (WBC) titlist and World champ Oleksandr Gvozdyk (17-1, 14KOs) this past October.
The bout came with the blessing of the IBF, with the understanding that his next fight would be a mandatory title defense. Representatives from Top Rank, Inc., Beterbiev’s promoter have worked Roc Nation Sports—who promotes China’s Meng (16-0, 10KOs)—since mid-November in hopes of coming to an agreement and avoiding a purse bid hearing.
To date that has yet to occur, although the late-assigned date leaves room for a deal to be struck and avoid such a process.
“Well, it’s getting late real early,” Carl Moretti, vice president of operations for Top Rank told BoxingScene.com. “We still hope to make a deal by the time the purse bid date comes around after the holiday. If not, then so be it.
“We have a couple of dates, and sites, where we can place the fight.”
A firm location for Beterbiev’s next title defense hasn’t yet been established, although the Top Rank side has aimed to stage the event in the boxer’s adopted home country of Canada. Beterbiev relocated upon turning pro in 2013, less than a year after serving the second of two Olympic tours for his native Russia at the amateur heavyweight limit in 2012 London.
Those same games saw Meng compete in the light heavyweight division for his native China, where his handlers hope to bring this particular fight.
Meng dropped a decision to eventual Bronze medalist Yamaguchi Falcao in the 2012 London Olympics, though not turning pro for another three years. It’s been a rapid race to the top for the 31-year old southpaw, who worked his way to the mandatory position by his 15th pro fight following a 12-round win over fellow unbeaten contender Adam Deines this past June in Macao.
The title eliminator took place as part of the annual IBF convention, with the promise of a title fight taking place no later than the 1st quarter of 2020. With the patience of allowing Betetbiev an interim bout now comes the opportunity to challenge for two major titles.
“We had been in negotiations with Top Rank for past month or so, the negotiation period ended without us being able to make a deal,” Roc Nation’s Dino Duva explained to BoxingScene.com. “We can still possibly make a deal prior to purse bid happening, just have to see how it develops.
“Whatever way fight gets finalized either through deal or purse bid- it will occur in late March/ early April and we expect it to be unification for IBF and WBC titles.”
Beterbiev will attempt the fourth overall defense of his IBF title which he claimed in a Nov. 2017 12th round knockout of Enrico Koelling.
Should it come to a room full of potential bidders, all IBF-registered promoters are eligible to participate onm the hearing. The minimum acceptable bid is $100,000, along with a 10% non-refundable deposit paid by the winning bidder.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox