By Ryan Burton
According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, local promoter Frank Luca of Crown Boxing has set aside April 17th for a possible Evander Holyfield-Frans Botha bout. The was scheduled for February 20th in Uganda but cancelled due to lack of funds. A venue in Las Vegas hasn't been secured yet.
Holyfield last fought in Las Vegas October 4th, 2003 when he was stopped by James Toney. This fight is hardly a done deal. Holyfield has passed his medicals but the commission has to determine if it will issue him a license. Financial terms have to be met for both of the past their prime fighters as well. The article also states the fight will be available on pay per view.
How ironic is it that two weeks after 40 something year olds Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones fight in Vegas, that potentially we have another pay per view (albeit much smaller without distribution by HBO) pitting two more over 40 year olds. This fight seems better suited for ESPN Classic. You may remember a few years Back Holyfield fought Lou Savarese on the channel.
Luca also dropped his association with Oliver McCall after McCall's recent drug possession arrest.
It has also reported that Manuel "Chango" Vargas, the last minute replacement who stepped in for Gerson Guerrero to fight Nonito Donaire last Saturday, tested positive for a banned substance. Hydrocodone is a banned pain killer.
Instead of fighting at minimum weight on the same night, Vargas jumped up two weight classes (for a reported $10,000 purse) to fight Donaire. He now faces a year suspension in the state of Nevada. Maybe Hydrocodone isn't banned in Mexico, where he was scheduled to fight originally.
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