DiBella Responds To WBC's Threat on Chavez-Martinez

By Rick Reeno

Promoter Lou DiBella disputes a recent statement from the World Boxing Council, where the sanctioning body claimed that DiBella and Top Rank have stopped negotiating a potential fall showdown between WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and mandatory challenger Sergio Martinez.

In the circulated statement, the WBC threatened both sides - stating that Chavez could lose his title and Martinez could lose his mandatory position - if either party refuses to negotiate. The two sides have until April 9th to reach a deal, with April 16th as the WBC's tentative date for a purse bid.

Chavez will defend his title on June 16th in El Paso, Texas - and Vanes Martirosyan is the current frontrunner to face him.

As BoxingScene.com reported a few days ago, the two sides are already negotiating a possible Chavez-Martinez clash for the fall. DiBella has been actively speaking with Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, who promotes Chavez. The fight could take place on pay-per-view, says DiBella, but that all depends on the economics involved. According to sources in Mexico, a date of September 15th has been mentioned, with a Las Vegas venue, but DiBella would not comment on those reports.

"I'm glad to hear that the WBC intends on doing the right thing, but apparently they don't know what the hell they are talking about - because Bob Arum will confirm that he and I are engaged in negotiations as we speak. It says in their statement, something about the agent stating that negotiations are not continuing - no, negotiations are not only continuing, but I spoke to Bob Arum as recently as ten minutes ago. I am Sergio's promoter, contractually, and I am the one negotiating and I'm confirming that negotiations are taking place," DiBella said to BoxingScene.com.