Top Rank Loses Bid for Taylor-Khonsong
Top Rank may have signed unified super lightweight champion Josh Taylor to a deal earlier this month, but they are unsuccessful in scoring the rights to his first fight under them.
Sampson Boxing outbid Top Rank at a purse bid hearing held at the IBF headquarters in Springfield, New Jersey, putting up $1.32 million to Top Rank’s $1.26 million to earn the rights to the IBF-mandated title fight between Taylor and Apinun Khongsong.
Sampson Lewkowicz, the man behind Sampson Boxing, which recently signed Khongsong to a promotional deal, must submit a deposit and stage the fight within 90 days. Taylor will receive 65 percent of the winning purse, and the fight is likely to take place somewhere in the United Kingdom, where the Scottish Taylor is a draw.
The unbeaten Taylor most recently won the super lightweight portion of the World Boxing Super Series, defeating Ryan Martin in the opening round, defeating Ivan Baranchyk in the semi-finals to win the IBF title and edging out Regis Prograis in the final to retain the IBF title and win the WBA (Super) championship.
Like Taylor, Khongsong is also 16-0 but has fought outside his home country of Thailand just once — a February 2019 bout in Japan. Khongsong has scored finishes in each of his last six fights, most recently scoring a TKO of Yosmar Kefi in July.
Original Story: Boxing Scene