By Per Ake Persson

Belgian featherweight Alex Miskirtchian, # 3 in the IBF ratings, hasrelinquished the EBU featherweight title to concentrate on a IBF eliminator for the # 1 spot. At first # 4 Australian Billy Dib was in the picture but he pulled out and there are now negotiations with Frenchman Sofiane Takoucht, # 5 in the IBF ratings. Number one and two are both vacant.

 

Miskirtchian´s decision to vacate the title has over the last few days affected a number of fighters. First Alex´s voluntary defense against Italian Davide Dieli was cancelled, then the above mentioned Takoucht was named mandatory challenger along with Brit Lee Selby, who already was official challenger.

 

Takoucht has now pulled out to go for the eliminator against Miskirtchian. Fighting for the vacant EBU title is now Selby and Ukrainian Oleg Yefimovych and the EBU have set September 23 as deadline for purse bids.