By Mark Vester
Jermain Taylor is in line for yet another title opportunity, but first he would like to take care of business by facing his former Olympic teammater, Jeff Lacy. The WBC recently named Taylor and undefeated British fighter, Carl Froch, at the two top contenders to the super middleweight title left vacant by Joe Calzaghe.
And while Taylor is entertaining the possibility of fighting Froch for the vacant belt, he would like to fight Lacy first on November 8 and then go for the gold.
“I’ve got to get a belt back,” Taylor told scribe Chris Givens. “But I definitely want to fight Jeff first. After Jeff, whoever is after that, it doesn’t matter.”
The WBC ordered Lou DiBella and Froch's promoter Mick Henessey to come to an agreement by July 25 or the fight is heading to a purse bid. The decision on who Taylor is going to fight will probably be reached a day or two before the purse bid deadline. Lacy has a scheduled tuneup against Epifanio Mendoza on July 23, two days before the deadline. There is a chance that Lacy could lose, or the injury prone fighter could get hurt. DiBella tells Givens that he is not going risk either play.
“We have options, and we’re going to play our options,” said DiBella. “What if Lacy loses or gets hurt before the purse bid ? We’re going to either fight for the WBC title or Jeff Lacy. But we have to look at everything.”
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