David Benavidez Set for Massive Cruiserweight Unification Bout

David Benavidez is officially on the prowl to end the year with a third cruiserweight title.

The 29-year-old 'El Monstro' became a three-division champion in May, when he ran through Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez to claim the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles. In his first title defense, Benavidez will continue his pursuit of adding more belts to his collection and challenge WBC 200-pound titleholder Michal Cieslak.

Benavidez and Cieslak headline a DAZN pay-per-view fight card on Dec. 5, Ring Magazine announced on Thursday.

Benavidez vs Cieslak announced

Cieslak, 37, was just elevated to full champion in September, three months after he stopped Jean Pascal to win the vacant interim title. The WBC wasted no time making Benavidez his first mandatory challenger.

Since moving up to cruiserweight, Benavidez has made it clear he is only interested in big-name fights. The 32-0 pound-for-pound star briefly flirted with WBA regular and lineal champion Jai Opetaia, who remains tied up with Zuffa Boxing, before gaining more momentum with Cieslak.

Benavidez recently revealed that the upcoming unification bout will be the final fight of his current deal with promoter Sampson Lewkowicz. He intends to sign with a bigger promotion next, teasing a potential three-fight deal with an unnamed organization.

Now firmly established as a cruiserweight, Benavidez confirmed he will not return to light heavyweight, despite still holding the WBC and WBA 175-pound titles. Instead, the Mexican has voiced his interest in eventually moving up another weight class to pursue bigger fights at heavyweight.

Vergil Ortiz Jr., Keith Thurman join Benavidez-Cieslak undercard

Although the full card has yet to be released, Benavidez and Cieslak already have a tantalizing co-main event fight set. WBC interim super welterweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. will make his long-awaited return against Keith Thurman, according to Ring Magazine.

Ortiz and Thurman will meet in a middleweight bout that does not appear to have a title attached to it. Ring Magazine further added that undefeated 154-pound prospect Emiliano Vargas will also compete on the main card in a 10-round bout against an opponent to be determined.

Ortiz hasn't fought since November 2025, when he stopped Erickson Lubin in the second round for his second consecutive title defense. Since then, the 28-year-old sued his promoter Golden Boy Promotions for allegedly costing him lucrative opportunities and big-money fights.

The two sides reached a settlement in July, and Ortiz remains under contract with Golden Boy Promotions.

Thurman is coming off a destructive sixth-round knockout loss to WBC super welterweight champion Sebastian Fundora in March, in his first title fight in seven years. The 37-year-old is 2-2 in his last four fights, which span over eight years.