The World Boxing Organization is cracking the whip on super flyweight champion Fernando Montiel and has given him 48 hours within which to explain why he hasn’t signed the contract to fight the Philippines Z "The Dream" Gorres on February 24 in Cebu City.
WBO president Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel asked Montiel for an explanation after promoter Sammy Gello-ani and matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz of Golden Boy Promotions informed the WBO that Montiel hadn’t signed the contract sent to him.
Gello-ani won the purse bid last November 27 after the Montiel and Gorres camps failed to come to terms over the mandatory title shot of the flashy Filipino southpaw, beating the bid of Golden Boy Promotions by a mere $500.
Montiel said he didn’t want to fight Gorres since the fight date which had initially been set for March 4 and had been moved to February 24 . The new date was decided upon by the promoter after the World Cup fight card which was to feature the Gorres-Montiel title fight was postponed for later this year.
Gello-ani indicated that they were strictly following WBO rules which stated that the winner of a purse bid must stage the fight within 90 days and that deadline expires on February 25.
Montiel had earlier refused to accept an offer from Golden Boy Promotions to defend his title against Gorres in the US, claiming the prize money was too small which forced the WBO to call for a purse bid.
