Terence Crawford has reportedly been told to defend his WBO welterweight championship against Shawn Porter by the governing body.
The undefeated American, often mentioned as one of the contenders for the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer, has often been at odds with his Top Rank head Bob Arum over which fights he should make, but there is a clear way forward for him now, reports Sky Sports.
Porter - a former welterweight world champion himself - and Porter have to come to an agreement by August 20, otherwise the fight will go to purse bids..
Crawford has won belts at three weights over the course of his career, and has not suffered a loss in 37 fights. He has beaten British fighters Amir Khan and Kell Brook to defend his WBO belt, both wins coming by stoppage.
The fight means that any clash between Crawford and Josh Taylor, the newly crowned undisputed light welterweight, will have to wait. Taylor has also been linked with Teofimo Lopez, who is eager to defend his lightweight belts against his IBF mandatory, George Kambosos Jr.