Last Saturday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Mikey Garcia (39-0, 30 KOs) won a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision over Rovert Easter to unify the WBC, IBF lightweight world titles.
Easter, who held the IBF title, had already owed a mandatory world title defense to number one contender Richard Commey (26-2, 23 KOs).
Commey had lost a close twelve round split decision to Easter in September of 2016. Easter was down in the eight round of that bout.
Commey will stay busy this Saturday night, when he faces Yardley Armenta Cruz (24-10, 14 KOs) on the Andre Berto-Devon Alexander undercard at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.
With his victory, the obligation of the IBF’s mandatory defense is now on Garcia’s shoulders.
The IBF has ordered him to reach a deal with Commey by August 30th.
“Robert Easter’s mandatory was due on or before March 30, 2018. The Unification was granted with the condition that the winner must fight the IBF leading available contender in a mandatory defense of the IBF Lightweight title. The leading available contender is #1, Richard Commey,” an IBF representative stated to Boxing News.
“Negotiations should commence immediately and be concluded by August 30, 2018. In the event that you are unable to come to an amiable agreement with Commey, the IBF will call for a purse bid.”
Garcia will likely vacate.
Earlier this year, he captured the IBF’s junior welterweight title with a win over Sergey Lipinets. He was then ordered by the sanctioning body to make a mandatory defense against Ivan Baranchyk.
While he initially agreed to face Baranchyk, he then backed away from that decision by vacating the belt and went back down to 135 for a more lucrative opportunity with Easter.
At the moment, Garcia is discussing the idea of moving up by two weight divisions to challenge IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence on a December date.
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Source: Boxing Scene
