David Benavidez battles Michal Cieslak in unification December 5th
GLENDALE – A cruiserweight title unification will take place at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona as WBA and WBO champion David Benavidez will face WBC champion Michal Cieslak on December 5th. This bout will headline a card promoted by Sampson Boxing and TGB Promotions, and will be shown live on DAZN Pay Per View. The unified title bout will be preceded by a 12-round middleweight fight between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Keith Thurman. There will also be fights that include Emiliano Vargas, Marco Romero, and Nikita Tszyu on this card.
“Unified cruiserweight king David Benavidez is must-see entertainment every time he steps into the ring, and he’ll be highly-motivated to be at his best in front of his home state fans in Arizona as he looks to add another cruiserweight title to his collection against an experienced world champion in Michal Cieslak,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Combined with a highly-competitive co-main event between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Keith Thurman, plus rising stars in Emiliano Vargas, Marco Romero and Nikita Tszyu, December 5th is set up to be a can’t-miss night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.”
Benavidez (32-0, 26 KOs) comes into the fight December 5th as one of the top pound for pound fighters in the sport, and is riding the momentum of his stoppage win over Gilberto Ramirez on Cinco de Mayo weekend. He has won world titles in the super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions, and defeated Anthony Yarde, David Morrell Jr., Oleksandr Gvozdyk, and Caleb Plant in his undefeated campaign. This time he aims to be closer to being undisputed in the cruiserweight division while fighting in his home state for the first time since 2022.
“I’m excited to be fighting in Arizona once again,” said Benavidez. “It’s been a long time coming, but it’s finally here. I’m gonna give the fans in my home state of Arizona a great performance on December 5th.”
Cieslak (28-2, 22 KOs) beat Jean Pascal last June to become the interim WBC champion, and he was recently elevated to full champion. He hails from Poland and is riding a seven fight win streak. He had fought for the WBC title back in 2020 and the WBO title in 2022 but was unsuccessful in those attempts. This will be his first bout in the United States, but he is looking forward to it.
“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity my whole life,” said Cieslak. “This is exactly why I’ve been training – to test myself and compete on the biggest stage against fighters like Benavidez. I’m confident, but there’s no point in talking nonsense. The focus has to be on hard work. Those who know me understand that I’m not going there just to show up. I will bring all three belts back to Poland after December 5th.”
In the co-feature bout, former interim WBC super welterweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. will be in his first bout in over a year as he takes on former unified welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman. Ortiz (24-0, 22 KOs) is eager to step in the ring since his stoppage win over Erickson Lubin last November. Now he enters the middleweight division at 28 years old under the tutelage of renowned trainer Robert Garcia and wants to make a statement with a win over Thurman.
“I am pumped to share the ring with a former world champion in Keith Thurman, who I highly respect for taking the fight when everyone else decided to hide behind politics,” said Ortiz. “Being the co-main for Benavidez is an honor as I respect him equally as a fighter and a person. It’s gonna be a great night of boxing and overall I’m just happy to be active again.”
Thurman (31-2, 23 KOs) is known for his run at the welterweight division, winning the WBC and WBA titles before his first loss to Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao in 2019. After winning his next bout against Mario Barrios, he was scheduled to face Tim Tszyu in March of 2024 but withdrew due to injury. He returned in 2025 to defeat Brock Jarvis, then fought for the WBC super welterweight title against Sebastian Fundora this year but fell short.
“I’m back with a vengeance!” said Thurman. “I’m bringing the heat in December with an action fight against Vergil Ortiz – another young lion. Fans should really enjoy this one – you know the resume. I fight the best and the gladiator in me is not done yet. Get ready, Christmas is coming early.”
Emiliano Vargas (18-0, 15 KOs) is ranked at 2 in the WBO rankings at super lightweight and aims to become a world champion like his father Fernando Vargas. This will be the third fight in 2026 for Emiliano as he had knockout victories over Agustin Quintana in the same venue back in February and against Bryce Mills at the Barclays Center in June. Outside of the ring he has been put in the spotlight but he says that he is locked in for his bout on December 5th.
“This year has been a true blessing for me,” Vargas said. “Outside the ring, I had some incredible opportunities—like being part of the Super Bowl halftime show with Bad Bunny and throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at a Mexico game during the World Baseball Classic. However, my priority and my passion will always be boxing. On December 5th, I return to the ring in in Arizona on a card headlined by my Mexican brother, David Benavidez. I want to end this year on a high note by putting on a great performance and showing why I am ready to take on the biggest challenges of my career.”
Marco Romero (16-0, 14 KOs) is coming off a 1st round knockout over Matias Ferreira on October 17th, and gets back in the ring for his sixth bout of the year. The 20 year old from Olathe, Kansas wants to challenge the contenders in the super middleweight division but is happy that he will be on this December 5th card in Arizona.
“I’m excited to come right back, which shows me how much PBC believes in me, especially by putting me on another big card like this,” said Romero. “To put me on another monster card with ‘The Monster’, David Benavidez, I couldn’t be more grateful. Being on his card because so many Latinos will be there or watching because of Benavidez, can only help me. A platform like this is perfect for me.”
Nikita Tszyu (12-0-1, 10 KOs) will make his U.S. debut on this card and he looks to carry the legacy of his father Kostya and his brother Tim. At 28 years old, he is ranked in the top 5 in the WBO and IBF rankings at super welterweight and looks to get a step closer to a world title shot.
“I’m excited to be making my US debut,” said Tszyu. “To be on a massive David Benavidez card is truly an honor. He’s the most exciting fighter in the world. He comes forward, he hurts people and he never gives anyone an easy night. That’s the kind of fighting I respect. I also like to fight with that warrior mentality.”
“Arizona is also where my father had his last victory, so it holds an important place in my heart. It will be special to write the next chapter of our family’s story there. I’ve been building for this moment and am ready for this next step in my career. I can’t wait for December 5th.”
