Jose Pedraza-Stephen Smith To Be Ordered By The IBF

By Jake Donovan

Prior to and immediately following his 12-round split decision win over Edner Cherry,  super featherweight titlist Jose Pedraza was keen on unification matches filling up his 2016 ring campaign.

What could be awaiting the unbeaten Puerto Rican boxer, however, is a mandatory title defense and the possibility of a road trip.

Pedraza was granted a voluntary defense in his first following his title win over Andrey Klimov in June. His decision to face Cherry gave the International Boxing Federation (IBF) time to establish a future mandatory challenger, with Stephen Smith (23-1, 13KOs) earning such honors following his knockout win over Devis Boschiero in September.

While Pedraza will allow his wounds to heal - including a mouse under his right eye - his team will eventually be met with the news of his next ordered fight.

"On October 13th the IBF will notify Pedraza that negotiations must begin for him to fight Smith," Eddie Hearn, Smith's promoter informed BoxingScene.com. "From that point neither fight is able to take another bout."

There are exceptions where sanctioning bodies have allowed a unification bout to precede a mandatory title fight. However, such a scenario is always first considered and never guaranteed, not to mention that it has to be presented to the sanctioning body prior to the imposed deadline.

With little more than a week before receiving marching orderes on his next fight, Pedraza's team will have to act fast in submitting alternate scenarios that would convince the IBF to move in any other direction.

Meanwhile, Smith will sit back and await further instructions. His time will be spent watching younger brother Liam Smith become the first in their fighting family - which also includes super middleweights Callum and Paul Smith - to win a world title. Liam faces John Thompson for a vacant super welterweight title this weekend in Manchester, England.

Regardless of what fate awaits his brother this upcoming weekend, the 30-year old super featherweight contender is keen on his next fight serving as his first world title shot.

"[F]or Stephen is straight into the Pedraza fight," Hearn points out, as per the terms of the soon-to-be-ordered fight. "We are keen to try and bring that fight to the United Kingdom if possible."

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com.
Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
Facebook Page: JakeBScene