Denis Shafikov will have home-field advantage when he faces Richard Commey in a lightweight title eliminator for the right to face Robert Easter Jr.

Warriors Boxing, acting on behalf of Shafikov, won the purse bid on Tuesday with a tender of $61,000 to gain promotional control of the event, IBF Championships Chairman Lindsey E. Tucker told RingTV.com. The bout is planned for Dec. 7 at a venue in Shafikov’s native Russia. Sauerland Event, which handles Commey, bid $45,305, Tucker confirmed.

The winner of Shafikov-Commey will emerge as the mandatory to Easter, who won an exciting split decision against Commey (24-1, 22 knockouts) on Sept. 9 in Reading, Pennsylvania to capture the vacant title.

Shafikov (37-2-1, 20 KOs) rose to prominence after stopping Jamel Herring in the tenth round on July 2 after losing in his second attempt at an IBF lightweight title against Rances Barthelemy last November.

In another purse bid, Omar Narvaez’s K.O. International won with an offer of $126,101 compared to Warriors Boxing bid of $57,500 to gain control of the bantamweight title eliminator, Tucker confirmed. The fight is due in 90 days and the winner is assured of a mandatory shot against titleholder Lee Haskins.

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