BoxingScene.com had been advised that the International Boxing Federation has set down the date of January 24th for the official purse bid for Josh Taylor's mandatory defense against Apinun Khongsong.

Sampson Boxing, who recently signed Khongsong to a promotional agreement, advised the sanctioning body that they were no longer willing to participate in negotiations and requested an immediate purse bid pursuant to IBF Rule 10A. Taylor, who holds the IBF and WBA world titles at junior welterweight, recently signed a promotional agreement with Top Rank.

The purse bid will take place at the IBF's offices in Springfield, New Jersey. Both sides (and anyone else bidding) will have to arrive by 12 noon.

As far as the split, Taylor will receive 65% of the take as champion, and 35% will go to Khongsong as challenger. Each side must submit a check representing 10% of the total amount of the bid. Within five business days following the purse bid, the winning promoter must forward another check to representing 10% of the bid, for a total of 20% of the total amount bid.

Khongsong (16-0, 13 KOs), who fought nearly his entire career in Thailand, has been out of the ring since July 2019, when he picked up a second round knockout. His last six opponents have been stopped inside the distance.

In Thailand, he captured the IBF's Pan Pacific super lightweight title in 2017, and in the same year he picked up the IBF's Asia super lightweight title. Khongsong has never faced any opponent even close to Taylor's level of experience.

Taylor (16-0, 12 KOs) was in the ring in October, when he picked up a twelve round majority decision over undefeated Regis Prograis to unify the WBA, IBF world titles. Their bout was the final round of the World Boxing Super Series tournament.

In May of the same year, Taylor won a dominant twelve round unanimous decision over unbeaten Ivan Baranchyk to capture the IBF title, in a semi-final bout of the WBSS.