by Rick Reeno
It started yesterday but the standoff between the WBC and the California State Athletic Commission continues. Junior welterweights Junior Witter and Devon Alexander are fighting for the vacant WBC title on the Bradley-Campbell undercard at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California. Showtime is televising the fight.
From what I've heard, the WBC wants three neutral judges involved in the fight. They don't feel the officials who were appointed by the California Commission are fair to both participants. The WBC is not happy with two of the three official judges coming from the United States. The third judge is from Mexico. The WBC wants to place a neutral judge in the fight. Allegedly the sanctioning organization has an issue with one of the two United States judges and refuses to sanction the fight if that particular judge is involved and/or another neutral judge is placed in.
The WBC is using Junior Witter's loss to Timothy Bradley as an example of how well neutral judges work [judges were from Italy, Mexico and Germany were used]. That fight took place in Nottingham, Witter's backyard, with Bradley winning a upset decision. The California Commission is refusing, so far, to budge and change either of the two officials. If the WBC refuses to sanction the fight as a title bout, don't be surprised if the fight gets called off. Alexander is the number one contender and the mandatory. If he were to lose the fight, he could lose his position. You couldn't blame Alexander because Witter is a tough opponent. The smart play, if you are Alexander, is to postpone the fight to a new date when the title is actually at stake. And it doesn't necessary mean that Witter is willing to fight without the title at stake. More info when it comes in.
