Mandatory headache puts Jason Quigley v Ryōta Murata in serious danger

Jason Quigley‘s big Vegas fight is in serious jeopardy.

It emerged late last night that the Donegal middleweight was set to take on Japanese star Ryōta Murata [14(11)-1(0)] at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday October 20th.

Hours following the initial reports, Quigley [14(11)-0] was added to the latest WBA rankings, entering at #9, which seemingly facilitated a clash with the 2012 Olympic gold medallist who currently holds the organisation’s ‘regular’ world title.

The fight was to be a voluntary defence from 32-year-old Murata – however, the WBA tonight ordered a purse bid for a mandatory defence from the Tokyo star versus American Rob Brant.

This mandatory obligation had been noted in the initial reports from ESPN’s Dan Rafael but this Brant requirement seemed to be swervable until tonight’s decree.

The bids are scheduled to be in by Monday August 13th at the WBA head offices in Panama and the minimum bid has been set for $200,000 [€171,500] with a 50-50 split between the two.

Minnesota’s Brant [23(16)-1(0)] moved up to super middleweight last year for the World Boxing Super Series but was eliminated following a dominant loss to Juergen Braehmer in the quarter-finals.

27-year-old Quigley had confirmed earlier today that he was in advanced talks with Murata but tonight’s order from the WBA has put the potential fight on the rocks.

The fight, which would have the Golden Boy boxer in the away corner against the Top Rank star, was to be broadcast on the ESPN+ app and it looked likely that Quigley would be without new trainer Dominic Ingle as stablemate Billy Joe Saunders is to defend his WBO middleweight title versus Demetrius Andrade on the U.S. East Coast on the same night.

Sources close to Quigley have informed Irish-Boxing.com that it is hoped that the fight can be salvaged but that it is most definitely in serious, serious danger.

Additionally, Rafael reports tonight that a Quigley fight Murata’s team’s preference but they have “work to do.”