By Rick Reeno
Chris Lighty, CEO of Winky Promotions, confirmed to BoxingScene.com that the offer of $1.5 million dollars that was made to Bob Arum, head of Top Rank Promotions, for a super-fight between Top Rank fighter Antonio Margarito and Ronald "Winky" Wright is sitting on the table for Arum to take.
"I tried calling him (Arum) yesterday with the offer and he said he was busy and for me to call him back tomorrow. We have been trying to reach him all day to put this (fight) together. From what I hear Margarito has one more fight with Arum, so I know he wants to put him in the ring with a big opponent. I don't know what's going through his head. I think maybe there are just looking at what options are out there for Margarito," Lighty said.
Last week, Bob Arum made a $4 million dollar offer to Winky Wright for a bout with Antonio Margarito in October, Wright turned the offer down for financial reasons. The main issue had to do with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. being offered double the money for the October date. Due to the $8 million dollar offer made to Mayweather, Wright felt that he should have been offered more money, something that Lighty confirms.
"Originally we wanted more money, but we wanted to see what was going to happen with Jermain Taylor. Now that Taylor is taking another fight, we want to take another fight and then meet Taylor. Margarito would be happy to fight Winky Wright for $1.5 million, he would be happy to fight him for $1 million."
The recent announcement of Winky Wright joining forces with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions was seen by many as a possible roadblock towards making a fight between Wright and Margarito, because of the animosity between Bob Arum and Oscar De La Hoya. Lighty confirms that Arum does not have to deal with De La Hoya, and the fight could be made with him directly.
"He doesn't even have to deal with De La Hoya. If I want to I could do it myself. I have the money. We will gamble on ourselves and give Margarito the $1.5 million to make the fight happen. Margarito wants "
The next couple of weeks will be interesting as Antonio Margarito is still without a dance partner for his scheduled fight in October, and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is without an opponent for his pay-per-view bout scheduled for November. Lighty stated that Winky Wright is ready and willing to face either of the two fighters.
