To the surprise of no one, the World Boxing Super Series has announced an eight-man junior welterweight tournament as the second of three for the second season of the WBSS set to begin later this year.
Tournament promoter Kalle Sauerland made the announcement on June 26 although it had been reported for weeks that the 140-pound tournament was going to happen.
?We are very delighted to announce Super Lightweight as our second weight class of the upcoming season. Super Lightweight is without a doubt one of the most action-packed weight divisions in boxing and we have a sensational line-up to be announced," Sauerland said.
What wasn't announced was the date and who would be participating in the tournament. It had been reported that reportedly WBA champion Kiryl Relikh, interim WBC champion Regis Prograis and Ivan Baranchyk and Anthony Yigit, who would compete for the vacant IBF junior welterweight title, have signed on to compete. Others, such as WBO champion Maurice Hooker, were reported to have signed on, but Hooker recently told Fightful that is not the case, but it was one road he and his manager were looking for Hooker's next fight.
The WBSS previously announced that there will also be a bantamweight tournament which includes notable names such WBA "regular" champion Naoya Inoue, WBO champion Zolani Tete and IBF champion Emmanuel Rodriguez. The third weight class has not been announced yet.
As for the current season of the WBSS, the cruiserweight tournament will reportedly take place on July 21 in Moscow while the super middleweight finals does not have a date yet.