Talks between the two fighters have already begun as Porter’s father and trainer Kenny and Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer have previously told WBN, although both sides now have only seven days to agree a deal.
Porter, 26, has already made his voluntary defence against Paulie Malignaggi in April on the back of defeating Devon Alexander to claim the belt the previous December. ‘Showtime’ is now under pressure to conclude discussions with Brook as the American is eager to keep a tight grip on his coveted red belt.
“We ordered Porter and Brook to start negotiations on April 21, 2014, so the 30 day negotiations period is over on May 21, 2014,” Tucker explained to World Boxing News.
“If the two sides have not reached an agreement by then, the IBF will call for a purse bid. I would assume both sides are negotiating now, but the IBF does not get involved in the negotiations.
“I can also confirm that the IBF has not requested a purse bid, nor have we been asked to call for an immediate one.”
Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn is known to be keen on getting his man home advantage for the recently-turned 28 year-old’s long-winded world title fight, which has been postponed on two different occasions in the past.
On the flipside, Porter has made it clear that he has no interest in travelling to the UK to put his title on the line, so it would take an astronomical amount of money for Hearn to deliver a home fight for ‘The Special One’ in the summer.
In all likeliness, the fight will take place in late summer or early autumn on a big Stateside card as both boxers put their perfect records on the line in what looks on paper to be an exciting match-up.
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