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Middleweight champion Jermain Taylor and Sergio Mora, the popular winner of "The Contender" first season, have been talking about fighting each other since June, just a couple of weeks after Taylor's draw with Winky Wright.
Now, they finally have agreed to terms for a fight that obviously should be dubbed "The Champion vs. The Contender."
Depending on the site -- likely Las Vegas or Miami -- Taylor and Mora will meet May 19 or June 2 on HBO, not on pay-per-view as had once been discussed.
"We're just playing with the date and the venue, but the deal is done. It's not signed, but the deal is made," Contender promoter Jeff Wald told ESPN.com. "It's going to be a terrific fight. Sergio wanted the fight, and so did Jermain. I think their styles will make for a great action fight."
Taylor was slated to make his next defense April 21, but promoter Lou DiBella, with HBO's blessing, moved off the date because of issues with site availability and because he didn't want to get in the way of the May 5 Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr. HBO PPV freight train.
"We're moving to after De La Hoya-Mayweather," DiBella said. "We'll have more time to promote it, and we won't be swallowed up by the huge fight."
Taylor (26-0-1, 17 KOs) is coming off a lopsided decision against Kassim Ouma in December. Mora (19-0, 4 KOs) hasn't fought since winning a 10-round decision against Eric Regan in August.
Taylor and Mora are familiar with each other. Taylor won 12-3 in the 156-pound division at the 2000 U.S. Olympic trials.
From ESPN Boxing Notebook
Now, they finally have agreed to terms for a fight that obviously should be dubbed "The Champion vs. The Contender."
Depending on the site -- likely Las Vegas or Miami -- Taylor and Mora will meet May 19 or June 2 on HBO, not on pay-per-view as had once been discussed.
"We're just playing with the date and the venue, but the deal is done. It's not signed, but the deal is made," Contender promoter Jeff Wald told ESPN.com. "It's going to be a terrific fight. Sergio wanted the fight, and so did Jermain. I think their styles will make for a great action fight."
Taylor was slated to make his next defense April 21, but promoter Lou DiBella, with HBO's blessing, moved off the date because of issues with site availability and because he didn't want to get in the way of the May 5 Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr. HBO PPV freight train.
"We're moving to after De La Hoya-Mayweather," DiBella said. "We'll have more time to promote it, and we won't be swallowed up by the huge fight."
Taylor (26-0-1, 17 KOs) is coming off a lopsided decision against Kassim Ouma in December. Mora (19-0, 4 KOs) hasn't fought since winning a 10-round decision against Eric Regan in August.
Taylor and Mora are familiar with each other. Taylor won 12-3 in the 156-pound division at the 2000 U.S. Olympic trials.
From ESPN Boxing Notebook
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