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Jessie Vargas agrees to unification title fight against Kell Brook

Jessie Vargas has agreed to fight Kell Brook in a welterweight unification title fight.

Vargas, the World Boxing Organization champion, will meet Brook, the International Boxing Federation champ, Aug. 27 in England at a location to be determined.

The sides have been in talks for weeks. Vargas (27-1, 10 knockouts) wanted more money to risk his belt and travel overseas to fight Brook (36-0, 25 KOs), and the Las Vegan is expected to receive $1.7 million after turning down $1.6 million.

“There’s still a couple of details to work out, but we’ve agreed to the deal,” Vargas said Friday. “I’m very excited. I want to win another belt, and it’s a chance to grow my fan base.”

Vargas, 27, won the WBO title March 5 by stopping Sadam Ali in the ninth round. Brook, 30, will be making the fourth defense of the title he won from Shawn Porter in August 2014. In his last fight, he stopped Kevin Bizier on March 26 in England.

“It’s never easy going over to fight the other guy at his place, but I’ve fought and won away from Vegas, and that gives me confidence I can go over there and win,” Vargas said.

LAWSUIT SETTLED

Bob Arum of Top Rank and Al Haymon have settled the $100 million lawsuit Arum filed against the owner of Premier Boxing Champions.

The sides settled their dispute Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. They agreed to keep the terms of the settlement confidential.

Top Rank filed a lawsuit in July against Haymon, who was accused of monopolizing fighters and also serving as their manager and promoter, a violation of the Ali Act.

Golden Boy Promotions also sued Haymon on similar grounds for $300 million. That lawsuit remains ongoing.

The settlement means Arum and Haymon could do business again. They promoted the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao fight May 2, 2015, at the MGM Grand Garden, the richest fight in boxing history with more than $600 million in revenue.

There has been speculation that by settling the lawsuit, the two might try to work toward promoting a rematch. But Mayweather and Pacquiao are retired.

Mayweather, who runs his own boxing promotional company, has hinted he might come out of retirement for the right price. Pacquiao was just confirmed Thursday as having won a seat in the Senate in his native Philippines.

SHUMENOV UPGRADED

Beibut Shumenov has a different belt to defend when he returns to the ring Saturday for his first fight in 10 months.

Shumenov, the World Boxing Association’s interim cruiserweight champion, had the “interim” tag lifted Thursday, and his fight against Junior Wright at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will be for the WBA’s “regular” title.

“It’s been very stressful,” Shumenov said. “I haven’t fought in almost a year, and every time I was ready to get back in the ring, something happened. So I’m very happy to have this fight and to be the regular WBA champion.”

The WBA has told Shumenov (16-2, 10 KOs) that he would get to fight the winner of Saturday’s bout between WBA “super” cruiserweight titlist Denis Lebedev and IBF champion Victor Ramirez within the next 120 days. That’s if Shumenov defeats Wright (15-1-1, 12 KOs).

“I had plans to fight in September or October, but it didn’t happen. Same thing in January and February,” the 32-year-old Shumenov said. “Fights fell out that were out of my control. But I’m not getting any younger, so I need to stay active.”

OUTDOOR CARD

Arif Magomedov (17-0, 10 KOs) will meet Andrew Hernandez (11-4-1, three KOs) in a 10-round fight for the vacant WBC United States middleweight title Saturday at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. CBS Sports Network will televise the outdoor card.

Devin Haney, a 17-year-old lightweight from Las Vegas who is 4-0 with three knockouts, will face Jairo Fernandez (4-0, three KOs) in a six-round bout. The first bell is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow on Twitter: @stevecarprj

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