Felix Alvarado finally has a willing opponent for a long-sought title elimination bout.

BoxingScene.com has learned that the former junior flyweight titlist is set to next face Mexico City’s Angel Ayala in an IBF-sanctioned flyweight title eliminator on October 14 in Merida, Mexico. The winner will become the mandatory challenger to the IBF flyweight title but could wind up fighting for two belts.

The current title claimant is England’s Sunny Edwards (20-0, 4KOs), arguably the best flyweight in the world. The dazzling boxer next faces WBO titlist Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (18-0, 11KOs) in a terrific unification bout set for December 16 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

Nicaragua’s Alvarado (39-3, 34KOs) saw ordered negotiations fall through with two previous contenders.

Japan’s Seigo Yuri Akui (18-2-1, 11KOs) was previously instructed to enter talks, but passed on the fight for good reason; he will next challenge WBA flyweight titlist Artem Dalakian, with their bout headed to a September 8 purse bid hearing.

Unbeaten contender David Apolinario (18-0, 13KOs) then entered the queue but his team has opted to head in another direction. The 24-year-old southpaw from General Santos City, Philippines is scheduled to fight this Wednesday in Tokyo.

Alvarado accepted a stay-busy fight while he awaited further instructions, as he scored a third-round knockout of Armando Hernandez on June 10 in Miami. Fittingly, the bout came on the same night and hours after Edwards defended his title in a twelve-round win over Andres Campos at OVO Arena Wembley in London.

The respective bouts were the first for both following their head-on collision last November which saw Edwards outpoint Alvarado over twelve rounds in Sheffield, England. The setback snapped a 20-fight win streak dating back to 2014 for Alvarado , who vacated his IBF junior flyweight title to campaign at the higher weight. Alvarado won the 108-pound strap in an October 2018 knockout win over Randy Petalcorin on the road in Pasay City, Philippines.

Ayala (16-0, 7KOs) enters his first sanctioned eliminator but has experience versus championship level opposition. His most notable win came last April 9, when he outpointed former WBC flyweight titlist Cristofer Rosales over twelve rounds in Metepec, Mexico. Two wins have since followed for the 23-year-old flyweight, including an eight-round, unanimous decision over Luis Rodriguez in his most recent bout on March 4 in Merida.

Interestingly, Alvarado and Rosales were previously in talks for a title eliminator. The all-Nicaragua matchup fell apart shortly after a March 23 purse bid hearing, however, where M&R Promotions—Alvarado’s promoter—seized promotional rights with a paltry $2,500 bid. Rosales understandably walked away from the fight, which left Alvarado to search for a new opponent—three, actually, before Ayala stepped up to answer the call.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox