By Edward Chaykovsky
According to the World Boxing Organization, Golden Boy Promotions beat Top Rank in today's purse bid, earning the right to promote the fight between Gary Russell and Vasyl Lomachenko for the vacant WBO featherweight championship. Golden Boy bid $1,052,500, while Top Rank bid $1,050,000. The WBO was told fight will be held on June 21 in Los Angeles.
The belt became vacant when Orlando Salido failed to make weight for his fight with Lomachenko, a two-time Olympic gold medal winner, earlier this year. Then Salido beat Lomachenko (1-1, 1KO) by way of split decision. Russell (24-0, 14KOs) has been the mandatory challenger to the title for some time.