Katsidis, Casamayor Sign Contracts; Fight is On

By Rick Reeno

BoxingScene.com has been informed that WBO-interim lightweight Michael Katsidis (23-0, 20KOs) and current WBC-interim champ Joel Casamayor (35-3-1, 21KOs) have officially signed the contracts for their March 22 showdown. The venue has not been set, but the fight is expected to land in either Las Vegas or Atlantic City.

"We signed the contract. The deal is done," said Katsidis' agent, Sampson Lewkowicz.

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By signing for the fight, Casamayor will be stripped of interim title by the WBC. The WBC president, Jose Sulaiman, told BoxingScene that Casamayor was ordered to defend his title in a rematch with Jose Armando Santa Cruz, and if he declined and then signed to fight Katsidis, a WBO titleholder, they would have no choice but to strip him.

“Joel Casamayor has to fight this one (against Santa Cruz) or he will lose the title. If Joel fights Michael Katsidis that means he’s leaving the WBC, and we would have only one champion - David Diaz,” Sulaiman said.

The decision of the WBC will not stop the fight. Casamayor's manager, Luis DeCubas Jr., tells BoxingScene that he's not concerned with his fighter being stripped. He's only concerned with securing the best possible opportunities for Casamayor.

"Last time they stripped him without even going to a purse bid. He doesn't even have the real title. Joel only wants to fight the best and if the WBC-interim title will hold him back, then we'll lose it. Katsidis is one of the biggest fights out there and Casamayor will be fighting for the WBO title," DeCubas Jr. said.

DeCubas says the public should not judge Casamayor on his performance against Santa Cruz last November. After being knocked down in the first round, Casamayor went on to win a very unpopular split-decision. Many labeled it was the worst decision of 2007. DeCubas attributes the long layoff and turmoil during training camp as the reasons why his fighter put on a less than stellar performance.

"Joel is main event fighter. A lot of things happened in that camp. We have no excuses, Santa Cruz put on a good fight that night. Joel looked like any other fighter who didn't fight in over a year. If you take anyone, even Floyd Mayweather Jr., and keep him out of the ring for over a year, he won't look the same. Casamayor will be a different fighter against Katsidis," DeCubas Jr. said.