LAS VEGAS — Mikaela Mayer’s next fight, as long as she wins Saturday night against Erica Farias, will start to unify the junior lightweight division.
Mayer, the WBO junior lightweight titlist, will next fight IBF junior lightweight titleholder Maiva Hamadouche, a source told ESPN on Saturday. The date and venue have yet to be determined, but will happen between October and December in the United States, the source said.
The fight could be a main event, depending on what other fights end up scheduled in the fall, according to the source.
The Hamadouche-Mayer fight was potentially going to be in the June slot where she fought Farias, but Hamadouche wanted to attempt to qualify for the Olympics, changing the timeline of the bout.
Mayer has wanted this fight since the beginning of 2021, when she told ESPN her goal was to unify the division as soon as possible.
“I’ve been pretty open about the fact that I want to unify this division,” Mayer said in January of her 2021 plans. “I don’t want to wait. I don’t want to fight non-champions next. I want to go straight into unification bouts.”
The 31-year-old Hamadouche (22-1, 18 KO) last fought Nina Pavlovic in Milan on Dec. 17, 2020, knocking her out. Hamadouche won her title in 2016 and has defended it six times.
The 30-year-old Mayer (14-0, 5 KO) has her first defense Saturday night against Farias.