Adrian Diaconu Wants Big Fights, Big Action in 2009
By Mark Vester
WBC light heavyweight champion Adrian Diaconu (25-0, 15KOs) can't seem to catch a break. Inactive for nearly a year, hea beat Chris Henry last April for the WBC Interim title. He was the mandatory to then full champion Chad Dawson but the fight never happened when Dawson vacated the full title for an opportunity to face Antonio Tarver. Diaconu would then become the full champion and he still can't seem to secure a big fight. He was training for a May bout with veteran Silvio Branco and now that fight is off after Branco suffered an injury. Instead Diaconu will return this Friday in a non-title bout against David Whittom (10-7-1, 6KOs), and earn only a fraction of the $227,000 he would have earned for Branco.
“What can I say? I’m happy. I’ve been waiting for six months and now I just want and need to fight,” said Diaconu to the Montreal Gazette.
Things are looking up. Diaconu plans to sign a new deal with InterBox in the next few days and he hooked up with well-known boxing agent Don Majeski.
“We need to get Diaconu a fight,” Majeski said. “When Branco becomes available we’ll deal with it. We’ve just got to get (Diaconu) back in the ring as fast as possible.”
After this Friday, Diaconu will defend his title, maybe in June, against whoever the WBC will select as his mandatory challenger.
Send News Tips and Comments To Mark Vester @ boxingvester@gmail.com
