The WBA Championship Committee has ordered the mandatory negotiation between interim WBA World super lightweight champion Jose Benavidez Jr. (23-0, 16 KOs), from Phoenix, Arizona, and #4 ranked Michelle Di Rocco (40-1-1, 18 KOs), from Bastia Umbra, Umbria, Italy.

Twenty-three-year-old Benavidez turned pro in 2010 at the age of 17. He stopped the first nine men he faced and has yet to experience a loss. He won the interim WBA title in December 2014 when he decisioned Mauricio Herrera at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Di Rocco is 33 years old and turned pro in 2004 at the age of 22. A hard hitting competitor, “The King” has only one loss on his record, dating back to 2007 when he was TKO’d by Giuseppe Lauri. Since then he has won 23 fights in a row and currently holds the EBU (European) super lightweight title.

It will be Di Rocco’s his first bid for a world title.

Both parties have 30 days to reach an agreement. Contracts must be in the agency’s offices no later than September 25, 2015.

Otherwise the call will be auctioned.

This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.