Shaw Claims DeMarco Still Contractually Obligated to Him

by David P. Greisman 

The confusing promotional situation involving former lightweight titleholder Antonio DeMarco might be even more complicated.

Earlier this month, a report came out that DeMarco had signed with Zanfer Promotions. A day later, DeMarco clarified that he was not with Zanfer, but was just fighting on a Zanfer card “under my own company, DeMarco Promotions.”

But the promoter he had supposedly split from, Gary Shaw, believes DeMarco is still contractually obligated to him.

“Well, he thinks he's no longer with me. I think he's with me. So that story's still untold,” Shaw said Aug. 16 in an interview with BoxingScene’s David P. Greisman and Tim Starks of Queensberry-rules.com. “I have injury time, other time, I got him the world title. When I got him the world title, it extended the contract.”

Shaw said he still wants to keep working with DeMarco because of his talent and entertainment.

“I think he's a really good fighter. I think he's an exciting fighter,” Shaw said. “You know, it bothers me, because every time he lost, I brought him back for world titles. But you know, it's the name of the game. There's no loyalty. Maybe they don't remember because they get hit in the head. I don't know.”

DeMarco’s fifth-round stoppage win Aug. 10 over Fidel Monterrosa Munoz was his first appearance since last November’s title loss to Adrien Broner, a defeat that came via eighth-round technical knockout.

With the victory, DeMarco, a 27-year-old from Los Mochis, Mexico, is now 29-3-1 with 22 knockouts.

David P. Greisman is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Follow David on Twitter @fightingwords2 or send questions/comments via email at fightingwords1@gmail.com