The WBA has ordered its 130-pound "Super" champion Gervonta Davis to defend his title against contender Ricardo Nunez.
The organization's championship committee has issued a mandatory title defense order for Davis to take on the Panamanian boxer. The two sides have been given 30 days to negotiate a fight deal with a deadline set for June 6. Should a deal not come by that date, the WBA would then issue a purse bid.
Davis has held the WBA title since April 2018 when he defeated Jesus Cuellar in the third round in Brooklyn, New York. The 24-year-old Davis would be inactive for the remainder of the year and was originally supposed to fight Abner Mares on February 9 in the main event of a Showtime-televised card from Carson, California. After Mares had to withdraw from the fight due to detached retina, Davis had to fight Hugo Ruiz instead with Davis winning the fight by first-round knockout.
Nunez, ranked No. 2 by the WBA at 130 pounds, has not lost a fight since 2015, emerging victorious in his last 10 bouts. During his lengthy win streak, Nunez has held WBC Latino Silver lightweight and interim WBC Latino super featherweight titles.
Although Davis' next fight has yet to be announced, the plan is to have Davis defend his title in his hometown of Baltimore. While Davis currently holds the WBA's "Super" title, Andrew Cancio is the "Regular" champion and is likely headed for a rematch against former titleholder Alberto Machado this summer.
