By Rick Reeno
The mystery continues. Nobody knows exactly when Jermain Taylor (28-2, 17KOs) will return, or the opponent, or the network. The scenario right now has Taylor returning on March 28. Showtime, not HBO, is the frontrunner to carry the fight. At the same time, nothing has been written in stone.
Taylor is the mandatory to WBC super middleweight champion Carl Froch. The purse bid is scheduled for Friday. Taylor's promoter Lou DiBella has presented an offer to Froch's team. They have not responded, yet. Froch's promoter Mick Hennessey might be killing time to take his chances at the purse bid.
Light heavyweight Glen Johnson was the proposed "Plan B" opponent for Taylor. The fight would have happened at the likely catch-weight of 170-pounds. When reached for comment this morning, DiBella, who co-promotes Johnson, did not see that fight coming off.
"It probably won't be Glen. We made an offer to Froch. I'm waiting to hear back from them. Right now nothing is out there. There is not a lot to choose from. We may look at an Andre Ward or an Allan Green," DiBella said.
Dan Goossen promotes Ward (17-0, 12KOs), a 2004 Olympic gold medal winner. Goossen recently told BoxingScene that Andre was very interested in a fight with Taylor. Ward returns on February 6 in a Showtime televised bout against Henry Buchanan. Allan Green (27-1, 19KOs) is promoted by DiBella and probably the easiest fight to make. Green has one decision loss on his record to Edison Miranda [March 2007]. He won four since then, with three of them by knockout.
