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David Haye's protest against the appointment of a referee familiar with the Klitschkos is beginning to appear like an attempt to keep his WBA belt whether he wins or loses on Saturday night.
Haye’s trainer-manager, Adam Booth, said: ‘The position now is that, unless the WBA decide to approve this referee, then they will not sanction this as a fight for their championship.’
Normally, a heavyweight is stripped of his title if he does not put it on the line in any and every fight.
Booth’s statement indicates that the WBA would not take that action against Haye — if the referee dispute is not resolved.
Haye’s complaint is that Chicago official, Genaro Rodriguez, has ‘developed a relationship wi th the Klitschkos’ by refereeing Wladimir’s heavyweight title fights and two of his brother Vitali’s.
Booth has proposed Luis Pabon as an alternative but said: ‘That has been refused
on the grounds that he has refereed one of David’s fights.
‘But how about all the Klitschko fights which Rodriguez has officiated? Where is the justice in that? All we want is a fair fight.’
Team Klitschko are pointing out that Rodriguez took charge of one of Wladimir’s three defeats — the one inflicted by Corrie Sanders in 2003.
But Booth argued: ‘In all the Wladimir fights which this referee has been in charge of, he has allowed all kinds of fouls and especially long periods of holding. This is an ongoing dispute.
‘The WBO are pushing Rodriguez very aggressively. Can we guess why? But everyone in boxing knows that Pabon is a fine referee.’
With just four days to go until 55,000 people throng into Hamburg’s Imtech Arena and millions of TV viewers around the globe tune in, this is a dispute which needs to be resolved quickly.
It would be inconceivable for the Klitschkos to let Wladimir risk his IBF, WBO, Ring and IBO titles without Haye’s WBA belt being at stake as well.
Although this is a more genuine controversy than the other disruptions being created by Haye, the danger of the fight being called off sounds remote.
Booth admitted: ‘Even if the WBA say we have to go with Rodriguez, Klitschko still gets knocked out.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/box...=feeds-newsxml
Haye’s trainer-manager, Adam Booth, said: ‘The position now is that, unless the WBA decide to approve this referee, then they will not sanction this as a fight for their championship.’
Normally, a heavyweight is stripped of his title if he does not put it on the line in any and every fight.
Booth’s statement indicates that the WBA would not take that action against Haye — if the referee dispute is not resolved.
Haye’s complaint is that Chicago official, Genaro Rodriguez, has ‘developed a relationship wi th the Klitschkos’ by refereeing Wladimir’s heavyweight title fights and two of his brother Vitali’s.
Booth has proposed Luis Pabon as an alternative but said: ‘That has been refused
on the grounds that he has refereed one of David’s fights.
‘But how about all the Klitschko fights which Rodriguez has officiated? Where is the justice in that? All we want is a fair fight.’
Team Klitschko are pointing out that Rodriguez took charge of one of Wladimir’s three defeats — the one inflicted by Corrie Sanders in 2003.
But Booth argued: ‘In all the Wladimir fights which this referee has been in charge of, he has allowed all kinds of fouls and especially long periods of holding. This is an ongoing dispute.
‘The WBO are pushing Rodriguez very aggressively. Can we guess why? But everyone in boxing knows that Pabon is a fine referee.’
With just four days to go until 55,000 people throng into Hamburg’s Imtech Arena and millions of TV viewers around the globe tune in, this is a dispute which needs to be resolved quickly.
It would be inconceivable for the Klitschkos to let Wladimir risk his IBF, WBO, Ring and IBO titles without Haye’s WBA belt being at stake as well.
Although this is a more genuine controversy than the other disruptions being created by Haye, the danger of the fight being called off sounds remote.
Booth admitted: ‘Even if the WBA say we have to go with Rodriguez, Klitschko still gets knocked out.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/box...=feeds-newsxml
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