By Ryan Maquiñana
Gary Hyde, the manager of junior featherweight titleholder Guillermo Rigondeaux, informed BoxingScene.com that his client is first in line to face the reigning king of the division, Nonito Donaire.
Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KOs) has been the frontrunner to land the Apr. 13 bout, but fellow 122-pound titlist Abner Mares and his team have made their case to face Donaire (31-1, 20 KOs).
This past weekend, Golden Boy, promoter of Mares (25-0, 13 KOs), sent a contract offer to Donaire’s handlers for a sum of $3 million. BoxingScene.com obtained a copy of the contract and posted it online earlier on Tuesday .
However, both Donaire and Rigondeaux are promoted by Top Rank, which has had an acrimonious relationship with Golden Boy in recent years. Moreover, Hyde asserts that Top Rank is contractually obligated to match the two fighters next.
Hyde’s statement is below:
“We have watched with amusement the shenanigans of the Mares camp, and suggest that anyone who believes the good faith of the offer should reconsider.
It is well known that Top Rank committed a Donaire bout to HBO in April. It is well known that Mr. Rigondeaux has a multi-bout agreement with Top Rank which calls for a Donaire bout.
Top Rank cannot violate its word to Rigondeaux and we do not anticipate it would violate its word to HBO.
After April 13th Guillermo, as the victor in the bout, will be happy to fight Mr. Mares if the logistics can be worked out. Until then, the grandstanding of Mares and his promoter should stop.”
Ryan Maquiñana was the boxing producer for NBCOlympics.com during London 2012 and writes a weekly column for CSNBayArea.com. He is a full member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the Ratings Panel for Ring Magazine. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com , check out his blog at Norcalboxing.net, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.
