Errol Spence is now being chased down by two mandatory challengers after failing to finalise a fight with Terence Crawford.
Spence is the WBA, WBC and IBF welterweight world champion and was deep in talks for an undisputed showdown with WBO champion Crawford this year.
However, due to issues at contract stages after the pair had agreed terms, they will not be facing one another next.
Instead of working with Spence’s advisor Al Haymon, Crawford has now announced a fight with David Avanesyan on December 10 under a different company.
As a result, Spence’s next fight is up in the air.
He has two outstanding mandatory challengers who are now pushing for their opportunities.
First is Lithuania’s Eimantas Stanionis, 28, who holds the lesser WBA ‘regular’ belt and so is in line for the legitimate WBA champion Spence.
Stanionis is 14-0 (9 KOs) and has petitioned the WBA to order Spence to fight him next.
“I have the first right to fight with Spence,” Stanionis said on social media.
“If he does not fight or forfeit the WBA ‘super’ champion title, there will be no WBA super duper champion and only the one I have will remain.”
The second challenger is IBF mandatory Jaron Ennis, who won a final eliminator in May to earn his shot.
The 25-year-old American is highly rated as one of the sport’s future stars and already holds a record of 29-0 (27 KOs).
Derrick ‘Bozy’ Ennis, Jaron’s father, trainer and manager told YSM Sports Media: “Look how long it’s been, Spence ain’t done none of them mandatories. We sent a petition to [the IBF] already.”
Time will tell which opponent Spence has to take next, though it’s known that there is also a possibility he could move up in weight, seemingly killing the chances of a Crawford fight for good.
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News Summary:
- Errol Spence’s next fight may be against Jaron Ennis or Eimantas Stanionis as mandatory challengers push for their shot after Terence Crawford talks collapsed
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