By Rick Reeno

In a strange situation, the IBF went forward with a purse bid on September 28 for an IBF mandatory bout between champion Devon Alexander and challenger Kizer Mabuza. According to the IBF, they sent a letter on August 9th which notified the promoters, Don King and Branco Milenkovic of South Africa, to begin negotiations. The negotiations period ended on September 9 and a purse bid was set for September 28.

Initially, the purse bid was postponed because King notified IBF President Daryl Peoples that an agreement had been reached for Alexander to unify his WBC/IBF titles with WBO Timothy Bradley on January 29. The IBF is claiming, that because Gary Shaw did not send them a copy of the agreement, the purse bid proceeded as scheduled. 

Milenkovic was the only bidder and he bid $101,500 and paid the 20% deposit ($20, 3000). The purse bid split will be 75% to Alexander and 25% to Mabuza. The IBF ordered that the fight must take place within 90 days of September 28, 2010 or no later than December 28, 2010.  The executed contracts must be submitted to the IBF within 15 days of the purse bid or no later than October 13, 2010. 

If his back is put against the wall, Alexander will obviously drop the IBF title to proceed with this HBO-televised fight with Bradley.

Shaw told BoxingScene.com that the IBF is not being truthful in the situation. He tells BoxingScene that he gave notification by phone and sent an email the IBF, on September 27, confirming that a deal had been finalized for Alexander-Bradley.

"Daryl Peoples is not being truthful. I was on the phone with him and King. We said there was an agreement and then he [Peoples] went and scheduled the purse bid. I told Don that he should start a lawsuit. It doesn't make any sense. Instead of getting a [sanctioning] fee from a million dollar purse [for Alexander], now they get one from a $75,000 purse," Shaw said to BoxingScene.com.