By Mark Vester
It was recently announced by Golden Boy Promotions that Diego Corrales had left promoter Gary Shaw and signed an exclusive deal with their company.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal has revealed that Corrales might still be tied to promoter Gary Shaw. Upon hearing the news that Corrales signed with Golden Boy, Shaw apparently sent letters to HBO, Showtime, Corrales and Golden Boy, informing them that Corrales is still his fighter. In the letter, Shaw claims that Corrales owes him one more fight as part of their contract agreement. There is also a clause claimed that gives him exclusive negotiating rights until January 31, and grants him the right of last refusal after that.
Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said Corrales and his manager James Prince told him that he was a free agent. Schaefer said that he recently spoke with Shaw, and the promoter said that he knew other promoters were after Corrales, but never specified that he still had a valdi contract with the fighter.
"We were discussing another matter for our Nov. 25 show, and I mentioned Diego to him," Schaefer said. "He said he knew a lot of promoters, not just Golden Boy, were after Diego, and he said he was trying to re-sign him. If he had a contract, don't you think he would have said something right then?"
Schaefer said if Corrales still has a valid contract with Shaw, it would make Corrales' contract with Golden Boy invalid, and he would not try to sign him until he is a free agent.