Ronnie Nathanielsz
International promoter Murad Muhammad has won the purse bid for the mandatory title defense of WBC featherweight champion Injin Chi of South Korea against No. 1 contender Rocky Juarez after promoter Murad and the handlers of Juarez failed to come to terms despite a series of negotiations. WBC president Jose Sulaiman informed Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that “our friend Murad Muhammad won decisively the purse offer for the Chi-Juarez mandatory fight. He will let us know the city and date of the bout within the following 15 days.”
Sulaiman added “this fight is highly expected as Chi won great respect from the American and Latin American fans with the great fight he put on when he fought the great Erik Morales in Los Angeles.” Although Morales won a unanimous decision his face was a mess and he looked more like the loser of that fight.
Injin Chi’s manager, well known businessman-sportsman Kusung Lee gave Murad Muhammad sole authority to represent Injin Chi in the purse bid. Murad Muhammad immediately flew to Mexico City on Friday where he met with WBC president Jose Sulaiman and his son Mauricio Sulaiman who is executive secretary of the organization.
Under WBC rules, in a purse bid the champion would get 75 percent and the challenger 25 percent. However, Sulaiman reportedly received a request from Main Events demanding that Juarez receive 45 percent and Injin Chi 55 percent. Mauricio Sulaiman in a communication to both parties said a poll of the WBC governors was taken and the decision was that the percentages should be 65 percent for Injin Chi as champion and 35 percent for the challenger Juarez.
According to the WBC Murad won the bid with a $700,000 offer which was much higher than the $402,515 bid of Carl Moretti who represented Main Events. The manager of Juarez is Shelly Finkel, manager of Ring Magazine featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao who also reportedly is involved with Main Events. The Injin Chi mandatory title defense will have to take place before July 15 and Murad is expected to make an
announcement soon about a possible site as well as date for the title showdown.
Injin Chi who won the title from Britain’s Michael Brodie successfully defended his title with a KO win over Japan’s Eiichi Sugama and then dominated young Australian in a twelve round decision to take his record to 30-2-1 with 19 KO’s. Juarez on the other hand is coming off a sensational second round KO over former champion Guty Espadas Jr who he flatted with a nose-shattering left hook last December 3.
