By Mark Vester

With the recent retirement announcement by Jeff Lacy, will Jermain Taylor now face Carl Froch on November 15 for the vacant WBC super middleweight title?

A few weeks ago, the WBC ordered Jermain Taylor and Carl Froch to face off for the belt vacated by Joe Calzaghe who moved up to light heavyweight. Taylor and his promoter Lou DiBella were more interested in facing Lacy, mainly because HBO was more interested in Lacy and they were the party providing the date and buying the fight.

Lacy struggled in his recent majority decision win over Epifanio Mendoza on Wednesday in California and televised on ESPN. Following the win, Lacy said that he would be facing Taylor on the November date. The following day he would tell The Tampa Trinbune that he was done as a fighter and the Taylor fight was off. Insiders feel that some kind of monetary issue is in play between Lacy and his promoters Golden Boy Promotions.

"I'm retiring," Lacy said. "There will be no fight between me and Jermain. "I'm just retiring. I'm done. This business is dirty. That's all I have to say. This is a very dirty business. I would advise anyone who has kids not to ever let them fight in this business."

There is an August 1 purse bid deadline for Taylor vs. Froch, giving DiBella and Mick Hennessey enough time to reach a deal, although DiBella said last week that he would go to a purse bid because he felt that Hennessey's previous two offers of $1 million and $1.25 million were way too low.

“[Those figures ] are accurate, but it’s ridiculous,” DiBella said. “I would never take that offer [from Hennessy], and if we do the deal with Froch, we’re going to purse bid. If something happens to Lacy, we’re going to purse bid.”

Send News Tips and Comments To Mark Vester @ boxingscene@hotmail.com