The on-again off-again middleweight title-fight between World Middle Weight Champion Jermain Taylor and Sergio Mora scheduled for May 19th is now reported to be cancelled due to Mora’s fear of fighting Taylor in Memphis, Tenn. Taylor’s home town of Little Rock, Ark., is a short drive from Memphis and Mora feels that fighting in Memphis is like fighting the Middleweight champ in his back yard. The good news for boxing fans is former welterweight champ and current IBF Junior Middleweight champion Cory Spinks has no problem fighting Taylor on the same date at FedEx Forum in Memphis, according to Taylor’s promoter Lou DiBella. The bout between Taylor and Spinks will be televised by HBO. Word from Mora’s promoter, Jeff Wald, is that Mora would take an interim fight before fighting Taylor later in the summer.
According to a report in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette by Chris Givens on Friday March 16, Taylor’s and Mora’s camps agreed on a purse and date but could never agree on the venue.
Taylor's and Mora's camps agreed on purse and date but never a site. Wald said Mora walked away because he refused to fight in Memphis, which he considers Taylor's "back yard." "I'm shocked. Mora had a great offer," DiBella said. “The fight's off because the kid is a punk. Who's he to say he won't fight in Memphis?” It was the kid himself. He wouldn't fight in Memphis, period, end of story.”
Mora’s replacement, Spinks, is the son of former heavyweight champion of the world Leon Spinks. Cory was born five days after his dad defeated Muhammad Ali for the heavyweight world title in 1978. Cory is the nephew of former light heavyweight and heavyweight world champion Michael Spinks.
At the time of publishing, betting odds have not been established by oddsmakers offshore or in Las Vegas. Point-Spreads.com will post an update including gambling information soon as it is made available.
