By Mark Vester
According to Alfredo Marchio, promoter of Fulgencio Zuniga, if Marlon Wright is selected as the referee for his fighter's bout with IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute - the fight will not go foward. Marchio does not trust the Montreal ref being involved and he also doesn't want three Canadian judges being selected. The fight takes place this coming Friday at Montreal's Bell Centre and Showtime plans to televise in the United States.
Marchio feels Wright played a big role in Bute's win over Librado Andrade last October. He believes that his fighter will finish what Andrade started.
"I certainly wouldn't want to see the same referee," Marchio was quoted as saying by the Canadian Press. "That could be a big problem. We're here to fight. But we need to know it would be a fair decision. I have to look at everything and protect my fighter. I think (Bute's) vulnerable. I believe Librado Andrade shook him up and I think Fulgencio Zuniga will finish the job."
Bute disagrees with Zuniga's promoter. He doesn't care if Wright or any other ref is selected, including a ref from Zuniga's country of Colombia.
"I won the fight (against Andrade), the referee didn't win it for me," said Bute. "As far as I'm concerned, the referee could come from Colombia. I don't care. The fight will be won with what I do in the ring. I will do my work in the ring and show everyone that I deserve to remain champion."
