By Jake Donovan
The World Boxing Super Series tournament returns to the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland, this time with a pair of semifinals contests in tow, streaming live on DAZN.
Headlining Saturday’s show, local favorite Josh Taylor (14-0, 12KOs) challenges for his first major title. The unbeaten contender—whom represented Great Britain in the 2012 London Olympics—squares off versus unbeaten 140-pound titlist Ivan Baranchyk (19-0, 12KOs).
The winner will go on to face fellow undefeated titlist Regis Prograis in the WBSS super lightweight finals later this year.
Also on the show, undefeated bantamweight titlist Emmanuel Rodriguez (19-0, 12KOs) attempts his second defense as he faces unbeaten pound-for-pound entrant and heavy tournament favorite Naoya Inoue (17-0, 15KOs).
Whomever prevails will advance to the WBSS bantamweight finals versus two-time bantamweight titlist Nonito Donaire, who will be in attendance to scout the fight live.
UNDERCARD
Opening the DAZN livestream, Taylor’s promotional stablemate Lee McGregor was forced to go the distance for the first time in his career, pitching a six-round shutout versus late replacement Brett Fidoe.
The referee was the lone scorer of the contest, turning in a card of 60-54 in favor of Edinburg’s McGregor (6-0, 5KOs), a former amateur standout and current bantamweight prospect whom outworked England’s Fidoe (13-51-5, 6KOs)—a very late replacement for Cristian Narvaez—in every minute of every round.
McGregor began the fight with knockout intentions, before reaching a point where he realized the fight was going rounds. Fidoe has been stopped just once in 69 fights, coming more than three years ago versus Andrew Selby. McGregor continued to shoot digging left hooks and long right hands, none of which deterred Fidoe but enough to pitch a shutout and move on to a June 22 hometown showcase.
Off-TV, Chantelle Cameron (10-0) continues her pursuit of unbeaten, unified lightweight titlist Katie Taylor as she prevailed with a 2nd round knockout of Vaida Masiokaite. Next up for the unbeaten Brit is a June 28 lightweight title eliminator versus Anisha Basheel, with the winner to become the mandatory challenger to Taylor’s June 1 undisputed lightweight championship clash versus current WBC titlist Delfine Persoon in New York City.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
