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Negotiations are ongoing for Verno Phillips to challenge IBF jr. middleweight world champion Cory Spinks in Spinks’ next fight.
The IBF said in a letter that Spinks’ next mandatory title defense is due by November 3, and No. 3 ranked Phillips is the leading available contender. The date and site of the fight is still to be determined.
Verno is now 41-11-1 with 21 knockouts. The former IBF and WBO jr. middleweight world champion, he won the WBO jr. middleweight world title in October, 1993, and made four successful defenses before losing the title in November, 1995. He won the IBF jr. middleweight world title in June, 2004, and lost it in his first defense the following October.
Verno’s last loss was by a very close and controversial decision against former WBA welterweight world champion Ike Quartey in June, 2005.
The controversy came in the ninth round when Verno floored Quartey for the second time – it appeared to be a clear knockdown, but the referee ruled it as a slip. If it had been scored as a knockdown, the fight would have been a draw.
A pro since 1988, Verno fought top opposition throughout the 1990s and scored several impressive wins. He returned to the ring in June, 2000, after almost 2 and a half years off and has consistently shown that he is still at the top of his game.
He has fought former world champions Ike Quartey (L10), Kassim Ouma twice (L12, L10), Bronco McKart (W10), Julian Jackson (KO9) and Lupe Aquino (TKO7), Gianfranco Rosi twice (W12, L12), and Julio Cesar Vazquez (WDQ6).
