Beatriz Ferreira (4-0, 2 KOs), the IBF's No. 1 contender at lightweight, has been ordered to contest the organization's vacant world title against Yanina Del Carmen Lescano (14-3, 4 KOs). The IBF's decision comes following Jelena Janicijevic (5-1-1, 2 KOs), the division’s previous No. 2 contender, dropping from her position to fight for the vacant title within the IBF's ratings for undisclosed reasons.
The IBF had previously ordered British duo Caroline Dubois (9-0, 5 KOs) and Rhiannon Dixon (9-0, 1 KO) to contest the organization's vacant title following Katie Taylor's decision to drop her unified titles at 135 pounds following her undisputed super lightweight success last November against Chantelle Cameron in Dublin.
Unable to hold two undisputed titles simultaneously, Taylor was ultimately forced to decide which weight category her future lay in. She decided that 140 pounds was the way forward.
According to Dubois's promoter, Ben Shalom, Dixon withdrew from negotiations with Dubois, which would have seen an all-British affair for the IBF title. Dixon will contest the vacant WBO title against Karen Elizabeth Carabajal at the Manchester Arena, Manchester, United Kingdom, on March 30.
After Dixon's decision to proceed down the WBO route, the IBF was set to order Dubois to contest the vacant title against Ferreira. However, Dubois and Shalom ultimately decided to skip the opportunity to face the Tokyo 2020 lightweight Brazilian silver medalist.
"Be advised that No. 2-rated Beatriz Ferreira and No. 3-rated Yanina Del Carmen Lescano are the highest-ranked available contenders in the IBF female lightweight division and are being ordered to participate in an IBF female lightweight vacant championship title bout," IBF championship committee chairman Carlos Ortiz informed both parties in an official letter obtained by The Ring. "The winner will be the IBF female lightweight champion. Negotiations should be started immediately and be concluded by April 5, 2024.”
Ferreira, who turned professional in November 2022 following her Olympic success, has swiftly found herself on the verge of fighting for a world title. The Brazilian harbors ambitions of becoming an Olympic champion in Paris later this year, having qualified for the upcoming games in 2023 following her victory in March 2023 in India, claiming the IBA's women's world championship and her spot in Paris.
Lescano, of Argentina, dropped a wide points decision to Caroline Dubois in 2023 at London's York Hall and, in 2022, lost narrowly to Rio 2016 Olympic gold medalist Estelle Mossely via a split decision in the United Arab Emirates.
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