lightweight
05-06-2003, 06:13 PM
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From: Jim Gallo
Date: 06-May-03 02:41 PM
Member Since: 01-Jan-01
46 Total Posts
I was Tito's Manager during the subject time frame. I have refrained from publicly stating anything regarding the contract dispute between Tito and Zuffa because of the confidential relationship that exists between myself and Tito. However, Tito's recent comments on his forum waive that confidential relationship on one issue, which brings my credibility in to issue with my client Chuck Liddell. Specifically Tito states:
"I was training for the Belfort fight and got a call saying that Belfort was hurt. I never said once that I wouldn’t fight the replacement I had a choice of Vladdy, Randelman, or Chuck. I remember my manager (Jim Gallo) witch is Chuck’s manager saying Chuck wasn’t training to fight me. So now Zuffa had two choices Vladdy or Randelman. Or I had two choices. So I picked Randelman. He pussed out so Vladdy was the last choice. I never once asked for more money to fight and I had a right to."
Zuffa, specifically Joe Silva and Frank Fertitta, believed that Chuck was the most valid opponent for Tito. I conveyed the offer to Chuck who accepted the fight without question on two weeks notice while training for a 3 round fight.
I then conveyed the offer to Tito, who refused. Tito stated that his ankle was not 100% and he needed to be 100% if he was ever going to fight Chuck Liddell.
Liddell then told me "Tito will never fight me".
The rest of the "quoted portion" of Tito's statement is accurate.
We did not request more money because Tito was a PPV partner in the Show, and as everyone may recall there was much hype, including a $2 mill advertising campaign, behind the return to cable. It hardly made much sense to hold out and jeoprodize a Show that we were PPV partners in.
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From: Jim Gallo
Date: 06-May-03 02:41 PM
Member Since: 01-Jan-01
46 Total Posts
I was Tito's Manager during the subject time frame. I have refrained from publicly stating anything regarding the contract dispute between Tito and Zuffa because of the confidential relationship that exists between myself and Tito. However, Tito's recent comments on his forum waive that confidential relationship on one issue, which brings my credibility in to issue with my client Chuck Liddell. Specifically Tito states:
"I was training for the Belfort fight and got a call saying that Belfort was hurt. I never said once that I wouldn’t fight the replacement I had a choice of Vladdy, Randelman, or Chuck. I remember my manager (Jim Gallo) witch is Chuck’s manager saying Chuck wasn’t training to fight me. So now Zuffa had two choices Vladdy or Randelman. Or I had two choices. So I picked Randelman. He pussed out so Vladdy was the last choice. I never once asked for more money to fight and I had a right to."
Zuffa, specifically Joe Silva and Frank Fertitta, believed that Chuck was the most valid opponent for Tito. I conveyed the offer to Chuck who accepted the fight without question on two weeks notice while training for a 3 round fight.
I then conveyed the offer to Tito, who refused. Tito stated that his ankle was not 100% and he needed to be 100% if he was ever going to fight Chuck Liddell.
Liddell then told me "Tito will never fight me".
The rest of the "quoted portion" of Tito's statement is accurate.
We did not request more money because Tito was a PPV partner in the Show, and as everyone may recall there was much hype, including a $2 mill advertising campaign, behind the return to cable. It hardly made much sense to hold out and jeoprodize a Show that we were PPV partners in.
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