ESPN Boxing

Ask a hardcore boxing fan to make a list of fantasy fights in the smaller weight divisions and a unification match between junior bantamweight titleholders Cristian Mijares and Vic Darchinyan probably would make the cut.

Now, it is no longer just a fantasy.

Mijares co-promoter Lou DiBella and Darchinyan promoter Gary Shaw made a deal Tuesday to match the 115-pound titleholders in a Nov. 1 unification fight on Showtime, the promoters told ESPN.com. The site is to be determined.

"It's as good as it gets in the smaller weight classes. It's a can't miss fight," DiBella said. "I already have a kid who is superstar in Mexico but he wants to be an international star and to make his name in the United States. This is the kind of fight that can do that."

Shaw said even though Darchinyan (30-1-1, 24 KOs), an Armenian based in Australia, would be the underdog, he really wanted the fight.

"I believe Mijares has the upper hand. He's very tough and a very accurate puncher, but I have a very determined guy. This is not a fight that would be my first choice but I have at least 30 e-mails from Darchinyan telling me to get him Mijares. It's really refreshing that a fighter would want a tough fight of this magnitude. There are others who would say, 'Get me some money and an easier fight.' But Vic has a lot of confidence. He says, 'When I knock out Mijares, line up [Nonito] Donaire next, I owe him one.'"

DiBella and Shaw had been talking about the match for a couple of weeks, but were unsure if they could get it done this year because they didn't have a television date. But they got one Tuesday when Showtime offered its final show of the year for the bout.

"I think [Showtime boxing boss] Ken Hershman made a tremendous decision because this is as good as it gets," DiBella said. "This fight was on top of his wish list and he pounced on it as soon as he could. As a former [HBO boxing] television executive, I know this is a great TV fight."

It is also a historic matchup. It will be only the third unification match in division history. In 1997, Johnny Tapia outpointed Albuquerque, N.M., rival Danny Romero to unify titles. On May 17, Mijares outpointed Alexander Munoz to also unify two belts. The winner of Mijares-Darchinyan will be the first fighter in division history to hold three of the alphabet belts simultaneously.

Shaw said once Showtime agreed to put the fight on, he and DiBella closed their deal in a few minutes.

"In all my years of promoting this was the fastest fight I ever made," Shaw said. "This was made in under five minutes."

Shaw said the Showtime undercard would feature rising super middleweight prospect Andre Dirrell (16-0, 11 KOs), a 2004 U.S. Olympic bronze medalist, against Victor Oganov (28-1, 28 KOs).

Donaire stopped Darchinyan to take his flyweight title in July 2007, but Darchinyan then moved up to junior bantamweight and won a title Aug. 2 with a dominant fifth-round knockout of Russia's Dimitri Kirilov.

Coming off his unification win against Munoz, Mijares (36-3-2, 15 KOs) defended his belts via third-round destruction of Chatchai Sasakul in Mexico on Aug. 30.

"When you look at the lower weight classes, Mijares and Darchinyan are two of the most exciting guys. They have no fear," DiBella said. "Mijares boxes but he also hurts you. Darchinyan is a tremendous puncher. He's got definite chinks in his armor, but he's dangerous as hell. I know I am a promoter, but I am also a boxing fan. As a boxing fan, I am looking forward to this one."

Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.