Josh Taylor could face WBC mandatory challenger Jose Zepeda in his next fight.
The champion, who also holds the WBO and IBF super-lightweight titles, is now without his WBA strap after vacating it last week despite claims from the governing body that he was stripped.
Although Taylor indicated would move to welterweight following his win against Jack Catterall the Scotsman’s future may remain at 140lbs. Top Rank, who promote ‘The Tartan Tornado’, confirmed the news to Sky Sports.
“We are working with both teams to put this fight on next,” said their president, Todd Duboef.
The WBC ordered Taylor to face Zepeda calling for purse bids on May 24.
“We met in Puerto Rico, the four presidents, Paco Valcarcel, Daryl Peoples, Gilberto Mendoza and myself and we had an agreement,” said WBC boss Mauricio Sulaiman.
“We sat down, we discussed that division, and I was clear that [Jack] Catterall as WBO mandatory was next. Zepeda as WBC mandatory was next, and then the IBF mandatory was next.
“For some strange reason, the WBA simply went out and ordered another fight, and now they have taken away the title from Josh Taylor, or Josh relinquished. Whichever maybe, but it’s very unfortunate.”
Zepeda (35-2, 27 KOs) has earned the right to face Taylor according to Duboef.
“Zepeda is coming off a fight of the year performance against Baranchyk and a first-round KO of Vargas in October. These together have earned him the mandatory position to Josh’s WBC crown.”
