By Terence Dooley
Former British lightweight champion Martin Gethin, 25-6-1 (11), was at the centre of a spot of contractual confusion earlier today after Eddie Hearn announced that "The Quiet Man" will fight IBF International lightweight titlist Tommy Coyle on the promoter's March 7th card in Hull.
However, the Walsall-based boxer was yesterday announced as Jack Catteral’s opponent for a light-welterweight fight on the undercard of Frank Warren’s March 6 Echo Arena bill, so, on the surface, he was double booked on one of the year’s first big boxing weekends—and at two different weights to boot. The 31-year-old can't appear on both dates, clearly, leaving British boxing fans playing a guessing game for a few hours.
This afternoon, BoxingScene’s Danny Winterbottom confirmed that Hearn had secured the signature of Gethin. ‘Matchroom confirmed that Gethin has a contract to fight Coyle, Gethin said he left it up to his management team and FW office say that Gethin v Catterall was agreed in principle but Gethin opted to stay at lightweight,’ Tweeted Winterbottom.
Andy Ayling, Warren’s Events Manager, clarified their side of the situation during a telephone call earlier this evening, telling me that: “Gethin is under a promotional contract with us. We have worked very well with Errol Johnson [Gethin's manager] for a number of years. Let’s not forget, we’re the ones who got him a world title eliminator in Walsall [L KO 7 to Ammeth Diaz in May 2013] and he didn’t perform. We’ve backed Martin continuously because he was very close with Dean Powell.
“We’ve worked with Errol for a long, long time. He agreed a deal with Jason [McClory, Warren’s matchmaker] to fight Jack Catteral, no problem with that. We hadn’t got the contracts done yet, so technically he hadn’t signed—and I know people will go on about that—but it was on the list of things to do. Then he changes his mind, which is his prerogative. Jason asked him why, I think he said the money wasn’t enough and Jason offered him more. At no time did he say he had an alternative offer. As far as we were concerned, we just needed to get someone new for Catteral.
“Then we get a call from someone in the press telling us Martin’s fighting Tommy Coyle, but Errol has a promotional contract with us (for Gethin). When he fought [Terry] Flanagan in July [L RTD 7], he signed a new promotional agreement—a two-year deal that expires on the 30th of June 2016. The contract is very clear, the purses he would have got had he beat Flanagan and how many fights he’d have if he lost to Flanagan. He’s in contract, unquestionably—it’s not even a gray area.
“When I heard this news, I contacted Errol to point out Martin’s under contract and shouldn’t be negotiating with anybody but us, any third parties also shouldn't be negotiating with anyone but us. That’s the nuts and bolts of it. I’ve emailed Eddie and John Wischusen to point out that Gethin’s under contract with us, but if you want to make an offer you can make the offer to us. We won't stand in the way if it’s a good fight, but the terms have got to be right. Gethin does not have our permission to negotiate with anybody else. That’s the position we’re in.”
As mentioned previously, criticism will be levelled at Warren due to the fact that the fight was announced but not signed. Ayling, though, is adament that the binding terms of the existing promotional contractual situation, rather than the fight contract, is the crux of the matter.
“It is correct that we didn’t have it signed when we announced it, but Errol’s word has always been good enough for us,” said Ayling. “On this occasion it clearly isn’t good enough any more. If Eddie’s got a piece of paper signed by Martin it is totally worthless contractually—Eddie might as well tear that bit of paper up. The thing is, Eddie likes going through the back door even when the front door’s wide open. We’ll listen to offers, that’s our job, and accept it if the money is right.”
Frank Warren reiterated this stance when posting on Twitter earlier this evening, leaving Gethin's second fight in as many days in a state of confusion until the parties work out an amicable solution.
Please send news and views to @Terryboxing.