Tweet
Taylor team makes offer to Wright for title fight
LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Jermain Taylor and Winky Wright would likely fight for the middleweight title in Memphis, if Thursday's offer by Taylor's promoter is accepted.
"It's based on the fight being live on HBO," said Lou DiBella, Taylor's promoter. "Probably Memphis — possibly (Las) Vegas or Little Rock, but probably Memphis."
DiBella made the offer to Gary Shaw, Wright's promoter, who said he would respond next week after he has a chance to talk to Wright.
"They made an offer," Shaw said. "Whether I like it or I don't like it at this point is immaterial."
A source close to the negotiations said, on condition of anonymity, that the offer to Wright was in the neighborhood of $3 million. Taylor would receive around $4 million. The source also said the fight would likely take place in May.
Taylor (25-0) beat Bernard Hopkins in July to win the middleweight championship, then beat him again last month. After that first title defense, Taylor's team said it wanted his next fight to be in his home state of Arkansas — he's fought before at North Little Rock's Alltel Arena.
But the WBC has ordered Taylor to make his next defense against Wright (50-3), and Shaw has said his fighter would want an "enormous" amount of money to fight in Little Rock. Shaw said Thursday the same applies to Memphis, which is right next to the Arkansas border.
Shaw wouldn't give his overall opinion of DiBella's offer.
"I know what I think, but I'll reserve comment at this time," Shaw said. "It's a foundation. It's a starting point."
If the two sides can't reach an agreement for a title fight by Jan. 20, a purse offer could be held in which other promoters would have the chance to bid for the bout. Shaw has said he's confident he would win a purse bid, and if he does, he'd be interested in holding the fight in Tampa Wright is a resident of nearby St. Petersburg.
DiBella responded Wednesday by saying Taylor's team would skip the fight — and risk losing the WBC belt — rather than go to Tampa. Taylor, of Little Rock, already gave up his IBF title when he fought the rematch against Hopkins instead of a mandatory IBF defense.
LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Jermain Taylor and Winky Wright would likely fight for the middleweight title in Memphis, if Thursday's offer by Taylor's promoter is accepted.
"It's based on the fight being live on HBO," said Lou DiBella, Taylor's promoter. "Probably Memphis — possibly (Las) Vegas or Little Rock, but probably Memphis."
DiBella made the offer to Gary Shaw, Wright's promoter, who said he would respond next week after he has a chance to talk to Wright.
"They made an offer," Shaw said. "Whether I like it or I don't like it at this point is immaterial."
A source close to the negotiations said, on condition of anonymity, that the offer to Wright was in the neighborhood of $3 million. Taylor would receive around $4 million. The source also said the fight would likely take place in May.
Taylor (25-0) beat Bernard Hopkins in July to win the middleweight championship, then beat him again last month. After that first title defense, Taylor's team said it wanted his next fight to be in his home state of Arkansas — he's fought before at North Little Rock's Alltel Arena.
But the WBC has ordered Taylor to make his next defense against Wright (50-3), and Shaw has said his fighter would want an "enormous" amount of money to fight in Little Rock. Shaw said Thursday the same applies to Memphis, which is right next to the Arkansas border.
Shaw wouldn't give his overall opinion of DiBella's offer.
"I know what I think, but I'll reserve comment at this time," Shaw said. "It's a foundation. It's a starting point."
If the two sides can't reach an agreement for a title fight by Jan. 20, a purse offer could be held in which other promoters would have the chance to bid for the bout. Shaw has said he's confident he would win a purse bid, and if he does, he'd be interested in holding the fight in Tampa Wright is a resident of nearby St. Petersburg.
DiBella responded Wednesday by saying Taylor's team would skip the fight — and risk losing the WBC belt — rather than go to Tampa. Taylor, of Little Rock, already gave up his IBF title when he fought the rematch against Hopkins instead of a mandatory IBF defense.
Comment