Top Rank won the promotional rights for the vacant WBA featherweight world title fight between Otabek Kholmatov and Raymond Ford. TR offered an amount of US$ 317,500.00, while giving three possible options of date and place to make the fight. The first is February 16 in New York; the second is February 17 in Riyadh; and the third is March 2, in New York.
Matchroom Boxing also participated in the bidding, offering US$ 255,555.55 in the bidding that took place through Zoom this morning.
Kholmatov and Ford are the top two rated 126-pounders and will contest the world title that was recently vacated due to former champion Leigh Wood’s move up in weight.
I heard they also signed Kholmatov right before the purse bid. If that’s true and he does win, between Venado, Ramirez and Kholmatov, Top Rank will have three champions at featherweight and two at super feather (…and they have some stake in Inoue as well so, should he beat Tapales, they’ll have the featherweights sewn up).
Thanks Lucie this is good info.
Kholmatov in 2! Ford all hype.
I’m curious as to how purse bids work. Is $317,500 the amount both fighters will split?