By Alexey Sukachev
Union Boxing Promotion, one of three leading Ukrainian promotional companies, which guides several world-class fighters, including WBA welterweight champion Vyacheslav Senchenko, was highly displeased with a recent interview on RingTV, issued by former IBF light welterweight king Paulie Malignaggi, who was designated as the next challenger to Senchenko during recent WBA convention in Donetsk, Ukraine.
UPB issued the following statement:
“Malignaggi says he doesn’t want to sign a contract, coming forward with a poor excuse that he is forced to fight abroad, in Ukraine, while in November 2011, during the WBA convention, he insisted he was proud to compete with Slava Senchenko in one of Europe’s most beautiful stadiums, Donbass-Arena.
"The American boxer is also highly displeased with the fact, that Golden Boy Promotions lost its bid to Union Boxing Promotion. He even came as far as to say that his overall fee for taking the fight in Europe is much less than he had expected, which is wrong. UBP has come forward with the bid [$1,000,100], which is four times the size of the Golden Boy offer [$250,000], which speaks for itself. Given that, we have taken care of Paulie in much better fashion than Golden Boy did. This suggests that the real reason for his displeasure is totally different, and that it has nothing to do with unworthy earnings. Those out-of-the-ring tricks by Malignaggi could ruin his possible fight with the champion."
"It seems Malignaggi doesn’t fully understand his responsibility. If he doesn't fight Vyacheslav Senchenko, he won’t only be stripped of his high ranking but he will also undergo legal persecution from the World Boxing Association; in the exact way that it worked out with Brad Solomon, who also withdrew from his fight with Slava for no reason. If Paul is the champion, he shouldn’t hide behind pity excuses for not fighting in the States - and fight for the title."
"What did Paul mean by saying - 'I don’t want to go to my opponent’s backyard to lose there.' Surely he isn’t pleased with his fee and he is afraid of being misjudged away from home… Those expectations are foolish. His fee is very high by all standards, including his own standards. And Donetsk has never been a home to sin or corruption. The highest justice is proved by a number of local fights, where local favorites, like Oleg Yefimovich or Stas Kashtanov, were held to unexpected and controversial defeats in such a way that it even surprised their opponents."
"Because of the misunderstanding between Golden Boy Promotions and Paul Malignaggi - regarding the split of the prize-money, the purse bid loss and groundless complaints about the venue, the fight for the WBA world welterweight championship is likely at risk."