LITTLE ROCK (AP) - Jermain Taylor is no longer listed as the World Boxing Association middleweight champion, pending an investigation requested by one of his top challengers.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Wednesday that middleweight Felix Sturm asked for an inquiry into whether Taylor's championship should be recognized by the WBA. Robert Mack, the WBA's legal director, said Taylor hasn't been stripped of his belt -- but he was removed from the official ranking list while the investigation proceeds.
"It is my understanding that there was a request by representatives of Felix Sturm questioning whether Taylor had met all the requirements necessary to be the unified champion," Mack said. "The Sturm people raised the issue of whether Taylor had technically met the requirements such as having his last defense actually sanctioned before the bout, having a supervisor at the bout, a number of matters. Those are the things under review."
Taylor, of Little Rock, won the WBA, WBO, WBC and IBF belts by beating Bernard Hopkins last July. He had to give up his IBF title when he beat Hopkins in a December rematch instead of fighting a mandatory challenger.
Sturm beat Maselino Masoe on March 11 to move one spot below Taylor in the WBA rankings.
Taylor's next fight is against Winky Wright on June 17 in Memphis, Tenn.
