By Ryan Burton

Don King recently spoke to BoxingScene.com about the future of his fighter Tavoris Cloud (24-0). The IBF light heavyweight champion has been inactive since his controversial split decision win over Gabriel Campillo in February.  He was supposed to face former champion Jean Pascal in August but Pascal ended up pulling out of the fight with an injury and efforts to reschedule the fight in October also failed when Showtime didn't have any dates available. Compounding the problem is Cloud's overdue mandatory against Karo Murat (25-1).  The IBF will likely now force Cloud to face Murat before allowing him to make another voluntary defense.

King feels that Cloud is one of the top fighters in the sport and feels that his aborted fight against Pascal would have been a huge success at the box office.  He also said that his fighter is available to face any of the top names in his division.

"Tavoris Cloud got dealt a bad hand when Pascal pulled out a week before the fight.  The fight had $600,000 in the gate six weeks out before the fight.  The fight was definitely going to be over a million dollar and sell out at the gate which would have been a tremendous lift to the fight.

"However, it didn't take place and they all are avoiding Tavoris Cloud.  I think he is a mini Mike Tyson. I think that he is the best out there and the only way to disprove what I am saying is to get in there and whip his ass.  He is ready, willing and available for anybody and everybody.  However they want to bring it, that is what they want to do.  We want to bring boxing back to the people," King stated.

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Tags: Tavoris Cloud , Don King