On Wednesday, the World Boxing Super Series officially announced one of the three weight divisions for their upcoming second season of tournaments. The bantamweight division is the first weight class revealed by the WBSS executives.
Promoter Kalle Sauerland has confirmed that the World Boxing Super Series’ bantamweight tournament likely will include a “Monster.” Sauerland told Sky Sports for a story posted to the British network’s website Thursday that Naoya Inoue has agreed to participate in the World Boxing Super Series’ 118-pound tournament if he defeats Jamie McDonnell on May 25.
THREE reigning world bantamweight champions have agreed to put their titles on the line in the next season of the World Boxing Super Series. WBO ruler Zolani Tete and new WBC champion Emmanuel Rodriguez were unveiled at a London press conference today, while WBA king Ryan Burnett’s attendance – following an agreement earlier in the morning – was confirmed moments before.
Three Bantamweight World Champions, Ryan Burnett (WBA), Manny Rodriguez (IBF) and Zolani Tete (WBO), are the first confirmed fighters for the second season of the World Boxing Super Series. “After a fantastic first season with Super Middleweight and Cruiserweight, we have decided that bigger is better. So we are going out with three divisions in our second season,” said Comosa’s Chief Boxing Officer, Kalle Sauerland.
Emmanuel Rodriguez picked up a world title just last weekend –– and he is already in line for multi-million-dollar paydays. The Puerto Rican, who is undefeated in 18 contests with 12 early, outpointed Ellesmere Port's Paul Butler at the O2 Arena in London las Saturday to claim the then-vacant IBF bantamweight title.
Emmanuel 'Manny' Rodriguez, who was crowned world champion last Saturday in London, is still in England to announce his participation in the World Boxing Super Series that will also feature the participation of the other current world champions at 118 pounds.
A few months ago, fans and historians were up in arms after World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman had mentioned that his organization would explore the idea of splitting the heavyweight division. Sulaiman was looking a the idea of making a super heavyweight division - for boxers who were 240-pounds and beyond.
Mr. Ohashi, the president of the Ohashi Gym and promoter of Naoya Inoue, recently informed me that he had been contacted by the World Boxing Super Series. Their interest was to specifically include Inoue in a bantamweight tournament later this year.
Things have gotten a little more interesting because Juergen Braehmer is planning a legal challenge in the hope of facing Callum Smith in the super middleweight final of the World Boxing Super Sseries (WBSS) final. "I'm assuming I'm going to box and I've already got my lawyer on the case," Braehmer told German newspaper the Maerkische Oder Zeitung.
George Groves has been handed a lifeline to compete in the World Boxing Super Series final against Callum Smith –– despite undergoing shoulder surgery earlier this week. Organisers of the WBSS, Comosa AG, seemed to have eased their stance on the fighters needing to meet the June 2 date to decide the Ali Trophy, or risk being replaced.