By Mark Vester
Things keep getting stranger with tomorrow's Madison Square Garden card featuring Samuel Peter vs. Jameel McCline in the main event for the WBC interim title.
Jose Antonio Rivera (38-5-1, 24KOs) has announced his retirement even before he steps in the ring with Daniel Santos in a battle of former junior middleweight champions. The Worcester Telegram reports that Rivera announced his retirement from boxing on Friday afternoon in the lobby of the Affinia Manhattan Hotel.
Rivera claims that he is done with fighting, even though the winner of his bout with Santos will become the mandatory challenger to WBA junior middleweight champ Joachim Alcine.
"Win, lose or draw, I'm done," Rivera said. "Another title would be nice, but at this point it would take a boat-load of money (from promoter Don King) to bring me out of retirement, and I don't think I'll get that kind of deal."
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