By Vadim Pushkin

World of Boxing, which is run by promoter Andrei Ryabinski, has revealed that WBA cruiserweight world champion Denis Lebedev (28-2, 21 KOs) will indeed proceed with his unification bout against IBF champion Argentine Victor Emilio Ramirez (22-2-1, 17 KOs).

The event will be staged on April 30th in Moscow.

As BoxingScene.com recently reported, the World Boxing Association recently ordered the 36-year-old Russian champion to make a mandatory title defense against Cuban Yunier Dorticos (20-0, 19 KOs).

A unification holds more weight than a mandatory defense, so there will be few issues with getting this fight approved by the sanctioning body. The winner will likely be ordered to make an immediate defense against Dorticos.

In the co-featured attraction on April 30, Olympic gold medal winner Rakhim Chakhkiev (24-2, 18KOs) will look to bounce back after suffering a knockout loss in five rounds last November at the hands of IBO world cruiserweight champion Ola Afolabi. Chakhkiev's next opponent is unknown.

Lebedev had a big year in 2015 and now won three in a row since getting knocked out by Guillermo Jones in eleven rounds in May of 2013. Jones tested positive for a banned weight cutting agent in the aftermath, but the official result of the contest was never officially changed. Jones was eventually stripped of  the belt, which the sanctioning body returned to Lebedev.

He won a twelve round unanimous decision in April over mandatory challenger Youri Kalenga. He then came back in November, and stopped undefeated Nigerian fighter Lateef Kayode in eight rounds.

Ramirez became the world champion after beltholder Yoan Pablo Hernandez was stripped for a very long stint of inactivity. Ramirez captured the interim-IBF world championship when he defeated Ola Afolabi last May, and then he came back in October to fight to a twelve round split draw with Ovill McKenzie of the UK.