borikua
01-18-2005, 03:14 PM
Howard Eastman will not become undisputed middleweight champion even if he beats current kingpin Bernard Hopkins next month, his promoter has revealed.
Londoner Eastman will get a long-awaited shot at Hopkins in Los Angeles on February 19 but after initially announcing the WBA, IBF, WBO and WBC titles would be up for grabs, Mick Hennessy has announced only the latter will be on the line.
Hennessy Sports had said all four belts would be contended, following an announcement by American pay-per-view broadcaster HBO.
"We would like to apologise for this misunderstanding," said Hennessy. "It was never our intention to mislead anybody.
"Our understanding at the time of our announcement was that all the championships would be contested.
"We have since learnt, however, that Bernard Hopkins is only prepared to stake the WBC title he has been mandated to defend.
"If this situation changes we will keep everybody updated.
"This is no way detracts from the fight."
Fans of the Battersea Bomber will agree, as the boxing public's desire to see often meaningless titles ignored in order to see the big fights continues to grow.
Glen Johnson and Antonio Tarver ditched their light-heavyweight belts in December to free themselves from mandatory defences and meet each other to establish the division's true champion - Johnson won the battle of Roy Jones' conquerors on points.
"At the end of the day the two best middleweights in the world are facing each other and that is what counts," said Hennessy.
Hopkins, 40, forced a stoppage of Oscar de la Hoya in their high-profile meeting last year and is looking to cement his position as one of the greatest middleweights of all time - while Eastman (40-1) will be determined to win his first world crown.
The 34-year-old lost controversially on points to William Joppy in 2001 when they met for the vacant WBA title in Las Vegas.
Londoner Eastman will get a long-awaited shot at Hopkins in Los Angeles on February 19 but after initially announcing the WBA, IBF, WBO and WBC titles would be up for grabs, Mick Hennessy has announced only the latter will be on the line.
Hennessy Sports had said all four belts would be contended, following an announcement by American pay-per-view broadcaster HBO.
"We would like to apologise for this misunderstanding," said Hennessy. "It was never our intention to mislead anybody.
"Our understanding at the time of our announcement was that all the championships would be contested.
"We have since learnt, however, that Bernard Hopkins is only prepared to stake the WBC title he has been mandated to defend.
"If this situation changes we will keep everybody updated.
"This is no way detracts from the fight."
Fans of the Battersea Bomber will agree, as the boxing public's desire to see often meaningless titles ignored in order to see the big fights continues to grow.
Glen Johnson and Antonio Tarver ditched their light-heavyweight belts in December to free themselves from mandatory defences and meet each other to establish the division's true champion - Johnson won the battle of Roy Jones' conquerors on points.
"At the end of the day the two best middleweights in the world are facing each other and that is what counts," said Hennessy.
Hopkins, 40, forced a stoppage of Oscar de la Hoya in their high-profile meeting last year and is looking to cement his position as one of the greatest middleweights of all time - while Eastman (40-1) will be determined to win his first world crown.
The 34-year-old lost controversially on points to William Joppy in 2001 when they met for the vacant WBA title in Las Vegas.