By Rick Reeno
Ivaylo Gotzev, manager of undefeated light heavyweight Ismayl Sillakh (16-0, 13KOs), believes the light heavyweights who were ordered to participate in the WBC's four-man tournament are dragging their feet to get involved. The WBC ordered Jean Pascal to face Zsolt Erdei, while Chris Henry was ordered to fight Sillakh - and then the two winner would collide in a mandatory eliminator for the right to challenge Bernard Hopkins.
In an earlier story on BoxingScene.com, Pascal rejected the WBC's invitation to participate in the tournament. The Canadian star has a lot of options on the table and his two recent fights with Bernard Hopkins have increased his presence in the United States.
"To fight twice to become the mandatory to my ex-title.....that makes no sense to me. But like I said, I have so many options right now that we have to see what's best for me," Pascal said.
Gotzev believes the fighters who were selected by the WBC are trying to avoid Sillakh.
"Pascal, Erdei, Henry are all running scared from Ismayl Sillakh. Chills are running all the way down to their bone structure. Whatever happens, if they continue running then Sillakh deserves go straight to [a Hopkins fight]. One fight and he's there. We're willing to fight anyone in the world...any of the champions. Even [WBA champion] Beibut Shumenov. How long will Shumenov run by fighting the kind of guys that he's fighting tonight. How much longer can they sell that garbage? Sillakh is ready to take over," Gotzev told BoxingScene.com.
