By Jake Donovan
All things considered, Sergio Mora remains upbeat heading into his February 6 headliner on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights.
The date was supposed to represent an opportunity for the SoCal middleweight to claim title status in two weight classes, as he was scheduled to face middleweight titlist Jermain Taylor. That fight is no longer on the table, due to Taylor’s latest run-in with the law that has many fearing for his current mental health.
Mora—a former 154 lb. titlist and the first winner of the former reality series The Contender—will still appear on the card. Details are still being firmed up regarding his new opponent and what exactly will be at stake for the fight.
“It will definitely be against a Top 15 opponent,” Mora (27-3-2, 9KOs) said of his upcoming fight, which takes place at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Among the leading candidates to replace Taylor is Abraham Han (23-1, 14KOs), who is ranked #15 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF), whose title Taylor possesses—at least for the moment—following his points win over Sam Soliman last October.
Mora is ranked #14 by the same sanctioning body and thus was approved as a suitable challenger for a voluntary defense, with the winner to next face mandatory challenger Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam. Given Taylor’s current situation and potential long-term ramifications, the likely next scenario would be for the title to be vacated, and a fight ordered between the top two contenders to fill said vacancy.
N’Dam N’Jikam is #1, but there is no appointed #2 contender. Mora’s team—led by high-powered adviser Al Haymon—is in the process of allowing the February 6 fight to fill that void.
Representatives from the IBF have to yet to reply to requests from BoxingScene.com seeking clarification, though undoubtedly are still trying to digest all that has happened over the past 24 hours.
For the moment, Mora continues to train for the fight date itself, confident that his team has everything under control.
“Al and his team have been in touch with me from the moment we found out that Taylor was hurt and might have to pull out,” Mora said of the rib injury Taylor reportedly suffered over the weekend. “They let me know right away that the date would remain intact, that someone else would be lined up for the fight. I was winding down on Saturday from training. By Sunday, I was preparing for what might be coming (Taylor being pulled from the fight).”
By Monday afternoon, the stuff hit the fan, throwing everyone for a loop.
“What happened on Monday… I don’t know the details other than what’s being said. I’m disappointed just that this fight won’t be for the title, but it’s best for his health that he doesn’t fight (anymore) and gets help,” notes Mora.
While viewing the glass as half-full regarding his fight date remaining intact, Mora now has to live a little while longer with the anticipation of realizing his next career goal.
“It’s disappointing. I wanted that second division title,” comments Mora, whose previous title reign was way back in 2008 following an upset win over—and ended by a subsequent loss to—the late Vernon Forrest. “But all things considered, I’m not in a bad place at all. I’m still fighting, and getting good money for an ESPN2 fight. I’m very optimistic that my next fight will be for the world title.”
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox