Beatriz Ferreira remains determined to win a major title and a Gold medal this year.

A new opponent has been tabbed in a bid to satisfy the pro title goal.

The Ring has confirmed that Brazil’s Ferreira was is now in talks to next face Yanina Del Carmen Lescano. The IBF ordered a fresh round of negotiations for the vacant lightweight title fight. The two sides have until April 5 to reach a deal and avoid a purse bid hearing.

“Be advised that # 2 rated Beatriz Ferreira and # 3 rated Yanina Del Carmen Lescano are the highest ranked available contenders in the IBF Female Lightweight division and are being ordered to participate in an IBF Female Lightweight vacant championship title bout,” IBF Championship Committee chairman Carlos Ortiz informed both parties in an official letter obtained by The Ring. “The winner will be the IBF Female Lightweight Champion. Negotiations should be start immediately and be concluded by April 5, 2024.”

Ferreira is promoted by Matchroom Boxing and managed by Brian Peters. Lescano is represented by manager Conor Slater.

Argentina’s Lescano (14-3, 4 knockouts) entered the mix after Serbia’s Jelena Janicijevic (5-1-1, 2 KOs) dropped out for undisclosed reasons.

Ferreira and Janicijevic were named as the top contenders when Caroline Dubois and Rhiannon Dixon passed on separate opportunities.

Lescano has won four of her last five starts. The lone defeat came to London’s Dubois (9-0. 5 KOs), No. 1 at 135, last June at York Hall. Lescano rebounded with a December 22^nd win over sub-.500 Pamela Benavidez in her hometown of Concordia, Argentina.

Ferreira (4-0, 2 KOs) has remained the leading contender for the IBF 135-pound title. The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Silver medalist for Brazil is ranked No. 2 at 130 by The Ring but No. 1 at 135 by the IBF.

The belt was previously held by two-division champ Katie Taylor (24-1, 6 KOs), who vacated earlier this year. Ireland’s Taylor is The Ring champion at 135 and 140, and No. 2 pound-for-pound. The sanctioning bodies, however, do not permit boxers to simultaneously hold titles in more than one weight division.

Taylor won the Ring/undisputed 140-pound championship win over Chantelle Cameron (18-1, 8 KOs) last November 25 in Dublin. She subsequently chose to give up the IBF and WBO 135-pound titles.

THE QUEST FOR GOLD – PRO AND AMATEUR

Ferreira will bid for her first major title in just her fifth pro bout. The 31-year-old from Sao Paolo, Brazil turned pro in November 2022 in a bout scheduled for four, three-minute rounds. She most recently knocked out Destiny Jones in the eighth round last December 9 on the Devin Haney-Regis Prograis undercard.

Ferreira and her team are adamant to fight for a title prior to Paris 2024. The unbeaten contender will once again represent Brazil in the Summer Olympics. She hopes to be the first reigning titlist ever to win a Gold medal, both in the same year.

Jake Donovan a senior writer for The Ring and vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Follow @JakeNDaBox

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