Though the WBO champion of the Super Lightweight division, Josh Taylor, is set to face former unified Lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez on June 10th, the WBO seems intent to already decide a future mandatory for the winner of that bout. As of April 11th, the WBO has ordered the #2 contender of the Junior Welterweight WBO rankings, Arnold Barboza Jr., to face the #3 contender Liam Paro.

The deadline for the negotiations has been set from April 11th until April 21th. In case no agreement is reached, the talks will naturally divert towards purse bids which will leave the fight open to be promoted by anyone promotion.

Both Arnold Barboza Jr. (28-0, 10 KO’s) and Liam Paro (23-0, 14 KO’s) are currently undefeated in their careers. Barboza is best known for his February 3rd fight against Jose Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KO’s) who he beat soundly by unanimous decision. The American contender is also regarded as the 4th best Junior Welterweight/Super Lightweight in the world according to BoxRec, and at his current age of 31 years Arnold Barboza looks set and ready for a world title opportunity.

Australian contender Liam Paro, 26, has not yet been as thoroughly battle-tested as Barboza but he has made some waves in the division with his previous two wins over fellow Australian prospect Brock Jarvis ― Paro’s last opponent who he knocked out ― and Puerto Rican contender Yomar Alamo (20-2-1, 12 KO’s).

The two are now set to put their careers on the line for a chance a world title; with the winner becoming the mandatory to the winner of Josh Taylor (19-0, 13 KO’s) vs. Teofimo Lopez (18-1, 13 KO’s). If the two parties that promote/manage Arnold Barboza and Liam Paro can reach an agreement, the fight will likely be set at least two months from now in the summer, and could conveniently take place not too long after the winner between Taylor and Lopez has been decided.