By Ronnie Nathanielsz
International matchmaker and adviser to big boxing promoters Sampson Lewkowicz has blamed promoter Bobby Bostick and Philippine minimumweight champion Florante Condes’ co-manager Dante Ortiz for the unhappy situation the Filipino fighter is in right now.
Following the purse bid for the mandatory title defense of IBF champion Muhammad Rachman of Indonesia against Condes which was won by Warriors Boxing Promotions on Friday with an offer of $25,000, Condes would receive only $3,750 while Rachman would get $21,250. According to Lewkowicz, IBF rules stipulate that the champion has to receive 85 percent and the challenger 15 percent.
In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today, Lewkowicz said “ I feel very, very bad for Condes” but stressed it was not his fault and claimed that Bostick and Ortiz “made the biggest mistake.”
Lewkowick who clarified that he is an adviser of Golden Boy Promotions and other big outfits said he was negotiating with Bostick, the promoter of Condes who offered to pay Rachman $75,000, for Rachman to defend his title against Condes in the US on June 30.
However, Bostick later backed off apparently because he didn’t have the funds forcing the IBF to call for a purse bid. IBF Championship Committee chairman Lindsey Tucker said the purse bid was called since Lewkowicz and Bostick failed to come to terms.
Lewkowicz disclosed that the title fight had been set for May 19 in Indonesia and if Condes doesn’t sign the contract he would be removed as mandatory challenger and the next highest rated fighter available would take his place.
