Lithuanian WBA welterweight champion Eimantas Stanionis and Uzbek mandatory contender Shakhram Giyasov have been given extra time to negotiate by the WBA. The two fighters’ teams had been poised to meet in a purse bid ceremony for Friday, November 8, but these proceedings have now been moved to a different date in lieu of the extension of negotiations granted by the WBA. November 19 has now been set as a potential date for a Stanionis-Giyasov purse bid if the two teams fail to reach an agreement.

Eimantas Stanionis (15-0, 9 KO’s) and Shakhram Giyasov (16-0, 9 KO’s) now have an extra period to negotiate until November 19―whereupon a purse bid hearing will occur if the two fail to reach an agreement.

This extension was granted by the WBA after the two negotiating teams requested an extension to the deadline. This indicates that a potential deal between the parties can still be reached prior to November 19.

The mandate for the two to face each other was ordered in September and now involves an ongoing saga that has lasted for almost two months. The initial deadline for the negotiations had been originally set for October 19.

Giyasov, 31, is currently represented by Matchroom Boxing while the 30-year old Stanionis is still considered a free agent after parting from Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) earlier this year.

Both fighters are currently undefeated, making for an intriguing match-up between two fighters with everything to lose. Once a fight is arranged, Stanionis will defend his WBA welterweight (147 lbs) title for the first time since the WBA “regular” and “super” title distinctions were removed―which placed Stanionis as the sole and reigning WBA world champion of the 147 lbs division.