Josh Taylor has reportedly relinquished his IBF title.
The former undisputed super-lightweight champion (19-0, 13 KOs) had already given up the WBA Super and WBC titles.
Taylor looks likely to head into the rematch with southpaw Jack Catterall with just the WBO title.
The IBF recently ordered Taylor to defend his super-lightweight crown against Jeremias Ponce, a former opponent of Lewis Ritson, who rose to prominence as a lightweight, going through the whole domestic division like a dose of salts before coming unstuck against Francesco Patera for the European title.
Purse bids for the fight between Taylor and Ponce have been set for August 23 and it seems the Scot will now be left with just the WBO bauble if he is to go through with the Jack Catterall rematch next.
The aforementioned Ponce will now face number two in the rankings, Subriel Matias, for the belt later this year.
Catterall (26-1, 13 KOs) was on the wrong end of a contentious decision at the OVO Hydro Arena in Glasgow back in February as Taylor inexplicably walked away with his titles intact.
Since the shocking defeat, ‘El Gato’ has campaigned for a second bite of the cherry. And though it was thought Taylor would be stepping up in weight to 147 pounds, he has made it clear that he wants to right the wrong and face Catterall again, with November 26, back at the Hydro, the working date and venue for the return.
Online Boxing Editor for talkSPORT, Michael Benson, stated that Bob Arum, the head honcho of Top Rank Inc. which promotes Taylor, had indicated that his man had given up the red, white and gold belt and would go into the return with just one piece of real estate.
Bob Arum has indicated that Josh Taylor has now vacated his IBF super-lightweight world title (after previously also vacating the WBA & WBC) as he's said Taylor will be going into the Jack Catterall rematch defending just the WBO belt. [@talkSPORT]
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) August 19, 2022
Taylor had flirted, after the first fight against Catterall, with the idea of heading up in weight to welterweight to take on the likes of Terence Crawford, the WBO champion, or unified IBF, WBA Super and WBC king Errol Spence Jr.
However, it now looks as though the 31-year-old, from Prestonpans in Edinburgh, will take on Chorley man Catterall – who recently signed a promotional pact with Boxxer to fight on Sky Sports – for a second time.