Erislandy Lara vs. Jarrett Hurd Unification This Summer?

A Summer date is being targeted for a Junior Middleweight title unification pitting the division’s best fighter against one of its newest champions.

Erislandy Lara (24-2-2, 14 KO, WBA Super) and camp have allegedly moved on from a bout against reclusive undefeated ex-champ Demetrius Andrade and are nearing terms to face off against Jarrett Hurd (20-0, 14 KO, IBF). Lara and Andrade had been jawing at each other after they shared a card last year and would have pit two of the more technically proficient fighters in the red-hot Junior Middleweight division against one another, but Andrade pursued a fight with regular WBA champion Jack Culcay instead and made negotiations extremely difficult before turning in an uninspired performance that was missed by virtually everybody.

Instead, Hurd will be making the first defense of his recently won IBF belt and get a chance to shock the world. The Michigan native had his hands full against Tony Harrison last February, but kept his cool and patience to cut into Harrison’s early lead and stopped him with a huge right hand the ninth. What Hurd does not have in experience, he makes up in big punching and natural ability.

While everything is purely speculation at this point, it would be a wise move for Lara’s camp to take this fight. A title unification and easier negotiations with Hurd can take immediate precedent over an Andrade fight, which would presumably still be on the table for a fight later this year made all the much bigger if Lara brings both the full WBA belt and the IBF title in tow.