By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The WBO has granted the request of ALA Gym’s respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer to go to a purse bid for the mandatory super flyweight title fight between OPBF champion Z “The Dream” Gorres and reigning WBO world champion Fernando Montiel of Mexico.
Aldeguer was forced to demand a purse bid after the Montiel camp appeared to go back and forth in their negotiations with Golden Boy Promotions vice president and international matchmaker Eric Gomez who told Viva Sports/Manila Standard that Montiel’s camp was “in turmoil.” Gomez disclosed that the Montiel camp first said yes, then said no, then came back and said yes and finally on Friday last week “turned the fight down.”
WBO Championship Committee chairman Luis Batista-Salas approved the purse bidding which was set at the WBO headquarters in Puerto Rico at 11a.m. on November 17. The purse bidding will be presided over by WBO President Francisco Valcarcel. Batista-Salas informed Aldeguer that the minimum bid would be $100,000 or some P5 million.
As a result of the purse bid the planned December 9 mandatory title shot of Gorres against Montiel at the Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson, Arizona will be postponed according to Aldeguer because the winning bidder is given 90 days to stage the title fight.
Because of the delay, Aldeguer said he would seek WBO permission for Gorres to have a tune-up fight before the title shot because he said he would like the flashy southpaw to stay sharp and in top condition.
Gomez revealed that the mandatory title shot had been approved at the WBO convention and he couldn’t understand why Montiel’s camp didn’t want to go through with the fight.
