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World Boxing Super Series Announces Super Lightweight Tournament for Second Season

Written by Rob Tebbutt on 26th June 2018.

The World Boxing Super Series officially announced their second weight category ahead of their new season, with the burgeoning super lightweight division joining the already-announced-bantamweights ahead of the second instalment of the knockout-format tournament.

After weeks of speculation, Kalle and Nisse Sauerland – both co-founders of the WBSS – made the formal announcement on their Twitter account earlier today.

The series, which seeks to pit the best eight fighters in each division against one and other, is still yet to conclude the first series, with the date and venue of both the super middleweight and cruiserweight finals expected to be announced imminently.

However, that has not prevented the announcement of another star-studded line-up, with the 140lbs division the latest to attempt to establish a consensus number one via the trial-by-fire tournament.

With the combatants yet to be officially revealed, speculation will continue to grow until the announcement is made.

The super lightweight division remains one of the most wide open in the sport, following former undisputed champion Terence Crawford vacating his titles and moving up to welterweight at the end of 2017 – making the concept of the WBSS all-the-more tangible.

Champions Kiryl Relikh (WBA), Regis Prograis (WBC interim) and newly-crowned WBO champion Maurice Hooker are expected to be included in the tournament, with top contenders Ivan Baranchyk, Anthony Yigit and unbeaten Scottish star Josh Taylor also mooted as possible entrants.

It is unclear whether WBC World champion Jose Ramirez – who now has Taylor as a mandatory following his stunning victory over former-champion Viktor Postol in Glasgow – will be entering the tournament, with his promoter recently questioning the need to enter the WBSS.