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IBF approves Jermain Taylor to face Sergio Mora on Feb. 6

Fighters Network
04
Jan
Jermain Taylor has been tentatively approved for a voluntary defense of his IBF middleweight title against Sergio Mora on Feb. 6 at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, according to IBF Championships Chairman Lindsey Tucker.
The winner between Taylor (33-4-1, 20 knockouts) and Mora (27-3-2, 9 KOs) must face mandatory challenger Hassan N’Dam (31-1, 18 KOs), whose unanimous decision over Curtis Stevens in October was billed as an IBF title-elimination bout.
Taylor and Mora are advised by Al Haymon. Taylor is promoted by Lou DiBella, who also confirmed the date and location.

“The fight has been tentatively approved because we don’t have the contracts for Feb. 6, 2015 at the Beau Rivage Casino, Biloxi,” said Tucker of the site where Taylor won the belt by unanimous decision over Sam Soliman in October. “Contracts are due by Jan. 17, 2015.”

Taylor’s defense will take place against the backdrop of legal troubles. Last November, the former undisputed champ was charged with first-degree battery and first-degree terroristic threatening for an August shooting at his Arkansas home.

Taylor is alleged to have shot his 41-year-old cousin, Tyrone DaWayne Hinton of Jacksonville, at his home in Maumelle, Ark. If convicted, Taylor faces up to 26 years in prison, according to prosecuting attorney Larry Jegley of the sixth judicial district of Pulaski County.

Taylor’s attorneys, Hubert Alexander or Allison Allred, have filed a motion challenging the legality of Taylor’s arrest and asked that evidence collected from that arrest be excluded from use in court, according to The Associated Press.

In his last fight in December, the 34-year-old Mora unanimously decisioned Dashon Johnson, who entered their fight with a record of 15-17-3 and had lost his previous four fights.



In 2008, Mora split bouts with the late Vernon Forrest, taking the WBC junior middleweight title by majority decision in June before losing their return bout by unanimous decision in his next fight in September.

Mora was offered to challenge Taylor in 2007, during Taylor’s undisputed title reign, but turned down the fight.

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