What’s Next For WBO Junior-Lightweight Champion Jamel Herring?

There is a mandatory challenger for Jamel Herring’s title and the WBO is set on enforcing the matchup.

Herring is fresh off a successful WBO Junior-Lightweight Title defense over Jonathan Oquendo. The title fight was held inside the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It served as the main event of a Top Rank Boxing card.

Herring had success against Oquendo with his jab. He also looked to frustrate the challenger by tying him up. In the third round, Herring landed an uppercut that floored Oquendo. Things got ugly in the fifth round as a cut over the right eyebrow of Herring formed due to a headbutt. The illegal blow was deemed intentional. Once the eighth round concluded, Herring said he had issues seeing out of his right eye and the fight was called. Herring was awarded the disqualification win.

As Herring recovers from the cut, the WBO has extended the time period for Herring to make a mandatory title defense. Here’s what Gustavo Olivieri of the WBO told Boxing Scene.

“In light of the preceding circumstances, the WBO granted Herring a five-month period to fulfill mandatory title defense obligations and his next mandatory is due in January 2021.”

Herring and Top Rank Boxing had hopes of getting the Carl Frampton fight next. As of now, Shakur Stevenson is the mandatory WBO Title challenger. Stevenson is undefeated with a record of 14-0. He is a former WBO Featherweight Champion. He vacated the title in July in an effort to move up to the Junior-Lightweight division.