Raymundo Beltran's next WBO lightweight world title defense has been set.
After a purse bid in the WBO's offices in San Juan, Puerto Rico was won by Top Rank, it has been announced that Beltran will defend his title against top-ranked contender Roman Andreev later this year. Top Rank won the purse bid with a winning bid of $252,000 and the fight will be televised on ESPN in Arizona on August 25.
Top Rank Boxing was the only party at the purse bid and with a winning bid of $252,000, Beltran is entitled to 75 percent ($189,000) and Andreev will receive the other 25 percent ($63,000).
The fight will mark Beltran's first world title defense after winning the belt with a unanimous decision win over former world champion Paulus Moses. That fight, which finally saw Beltran win a lightweight world title in his fourth attempt, headlined a Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card and it is expected that Beltran vs. Andreev will headline the August 25 Top Rank card.
Andreev, who has been slowly climbing the WBO ranks for the last couple of years, has yet to lose in his 21 pro fights. The 32-year-old from Russia is coming off a win over Craig Evans back in February to win the WBO European title.
Initially, it was possible that WBA champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, who is also promoted by Top Rank, could unify his title with Beltran's title, but after Lomachenko had shoulder surgery, those plans were scrapped. Other plans involved Beltran defending his title against WBO Latino champion Jose Pedraza, who is also promoted by Top Rank and ranked No. 2 in the WBO rankings, but those plans also were set aside due to the WBO ordering Beltran to defend his title against Andreev.
