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By JOHN C. COTEY, Times Staff Writer
Published October 6, 2005
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Gary Shaw said Wednesday night he has resigned as boxer Winky Wright's promoter, putting his Dec. 10 date against Australian Sam Soliman in jeopardy.
Wright said a deal to fight Soliman is all but finalized, but he may have to finish the negotiations without Shaw, who is upset because he says members of Wright's newly formed promotional company are undercutting deals he has in place.
Wright recently announced the formation of Winky Promotions, and Shaw said his new manager, Chris Lighty, "has been going negotiating around behind my back."
At issue is the site for the Dec. 10 fight. Shaw had a deal completed with the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn. But Lighty apparently has reopened talks with the Dodge Arena in Hidalgo, Texas, which has courted Wright for weeks, said Shaw.
"If that happened, I can't stick around," he said. "We had the site set and they went around me and went to a different site. In this game, my word is my bond, and if I don't have that ... "
Lighty also is manager of 50 Cent, and both are partners in Winky Promotions, which Wright said will promote his Dec. 10 fight in conjunction with Shaw's company.
Shaw, who has promoted Wright for his biggest fights, said that was an unlikely scenario.
Wright (49-3, 25 KOs) sounded a conciliatory tone, saying "if Gary Shaw wants to do Mohegan Sun, he knows best. We're just listening to what the people in Texas are saying. It never hurts to listen to what they have to say."
Shaw said his relationship with fellow St. Petersburg champion Jeff Lacy, whom he also promotes, will be unaffected.
It is unclear whether Wright or his new management team has an actual promoter's license, which would be a stumbling block to getting the deal done without Shaw. Wright could find a new promoter, or work with Soliman's promoter, Dan Goossen.
Soliman (31-7, 12 KOs) is the No. 1-rated middleweight contender in the IBF. Wright is No. 1 in the WBA and WBC. The winner could virtually guarantee a fight with the winner of the title fight between Jermain Taylor and Bernard Hopkins Dec. 3, or be first in line for a title shot if Taylor or Hopkins is stripped for not meeting the mandatory challenger.
"I figure I beat him and then the title (winner) got to fight me," Wright said. "We'd be No. 1 across the board. We're real close to getting it done."
[Last modified October 6, 2005, 01:14:18]
By JOHN C. COTEY, Times Staff Writer
Published October 6, 2005
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gary Shaw said Wednesday night he has resigned as boxer Winky Wright's promoter, putting his Dec. 10 date against Australian Sam Soliman in jeopardy.
Wright said a deal to fight Soliman is all but finalized, but he may have to finish the negotiations without Shaw, who is upset because he says members of Wright's newly formed promotional company are undercutting deals he has in place.
Wright recently announced the formation of Winky Promotions, and Shaw said his new manager, Chris Lighty, "has been going negotiating around behind my back."
At issue is the site for the Dec. 10 fight. Shaw had a deal completed with the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn. But Lighty apparently has reopened talks with the Dodge Arena in Hidalgo, Texas, which has courted Wright for weeks, said Shaw.
"If that happened, I can't stick around," he said. "We had the site set and they went around me and went to a different site. In this game, my word is my bond, and if I don't have that ... "
Lighty also is manager of 50 Cent, and both are partners in Winky Promotions, which Wright said will promote his Dec. 10 fight in conjunction with Shaw's company.
Shaw, who has promoted Wright for his biggest fights, said that was an unlikely scenario.
Wright (49-3, 25 KOs) sounded a conciliatory tone, saying "if Gary Shaw wants to do Mohegan Sun, he knows best. We're just listening to what the people in Texas are saying. It never hurts to listen to what they have to say."
Shaw said his relationship with fellow St. Petersburg champion Jeff Lacy, whom he also promotes, will be unaffected.
It is unclear whether Wright or his new management team has an actual promoter's license, which would be a stumbling block to getting the deal done without Shaw. Wright could find a new promoter, or work with Soliman's promoter, Dan Goossen.
Soliman (31-7, 12 KOs) is the No. 1-rated middleweight contender in the IBF. Wright is No. 1 in the WBA and WBC. The winner could virtually guarantee a fight with the winner of the title fight between Jermain Taylor and Bernard Hopkins Dec. 3, or be first in line for a title shot if Taylor or Hopkins is stripped for not meeting the mandatory challenger.
"I figure I beat him and then the title (winner) got to fight me," Wright said. "We'd be No. 1 across the board. We're real close to getting it done."
[Last modified October 6, 2005, 01:14:18]
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