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Maloney - furious with Guzman.
MALONEY UNCONCERNED BY GUZMAN
By Chris Roberts, PA Sport
Frank Maloney believes Joan Guzman's withdrawal from next month's showdown with WBO featherweight Scott Harrison in Belfast will come back to haunt the Dominican ********** challenger.
The Glaswegian's furious manager, who has had run-ins with Guzman's manager advisor Michael Marley, believes they had no intention of taking on the fight once they knew of Harrison's supreme preparation.
Maloney half-expected a stunt of this kind but is adamant the news is not a setback to Harrison's career as promoter Frank Warren begins the search for a replacement opponent for the May 20 King's Hall show.
Maloney told PA Sport: "It's like when you finish with a girl. You rip the number out of your book or lose it from your mobile, that's what I'll do with Guzman's number.
"It is disappointing. Guzman has let boxing fans down but it's not unexpected.
"If you look at Guzman's record he has a history of pulling out of fights and running away.
"You only have to look at how inactive he has been compared to Scott Harrison. They had more problems than Scott.
"Scott will be fitter than ever before, having been training for five weeks. But it's not really a setback. If anything it's a bigger setback for Guzman.
"People will now be wary of talking with him. It shows that if he is not 110% sure of winning a fight then he has no intention of taking a fight.
"They realised Scott Harrison had no intention of pulling out, they had a fight on their hands so they ran away."
Guzman signed a contract to take on Harrison at the King's Hall in Belfast next month.
But he has gone back on his word and declared he is moving up to super-featherweight leaving Harrison in limbo.
Maloney has suggested that Sports Network and the WBO take action against Guzman.
"That's for Sports Network to take up," he added.
The show is still scheduled to go ahead providing a new opponent can be found, with Amir Khan's seventh professional bout against Laszlo Komjathi on the undercard alongside the intriguing welterweight showdown between Eamonn Magee and Takaloo.
The doomed encounter was postponed from its original date in Glasgow because Harrison had an abscess of his tooth.
Both camps had exchanged angry words throughout the build-up to the new date but promoter Frank Warren could not hide his anger at the tough Dominican ********** challenger.
He raged: "After talks with Guzman's camp, they made it clear that Joan has no intention of facing Harrison.
"To say I am disappointed, especially when we had a signed contract for the fight, is an understatement.
"It's a real liberty on the part of Guzman and I think he swallowed it, plain and simple.
"All the talk from him has been about what he was going to do to Harrison but I think it was beginning to dawn on him that Scott really wanted the fight - and give him a hiding.
"And isn't it ironic that having constantly questioned Harrison's ability to make the weight - who unlike Guzman has never failed on the scales at a weigh-in - it turns out that he's got the problem."
It is a major blow to Harrison, who has rejected the opportunity to move up a weight, despite seeing possible high-profile opponents stepping up to super-featherweight.
But Warren and matchmaker Dean Powell are hopeful of securing a decent replacement.
Harrison will still defend his title in Northern Ireland and believes the disappointment can spur him on against whoever he faces.
"I said all along that I would beat Guzman and he knew it," added Harrison.
"It's a shame that he didn't have the heart to face me.
"Now I'm more fired up than ever before and I feel sorry for whoever gets in the ring with me on May 20."
Maloney - furious with Guzman.
MALONEY UNCONCERNED BY GUZMAN
By Chris Roberts, PA Sport
Frank Maloney believes Joan Guzman's withdrawal from next month's showdown with WBO featherweight Scott Harrison in Belfast will come back to haunt the Dominican ********** challenger.
The Glaswegian's furious manager, who has had run-ins with Guzman's manager advisor Michael Marley, believes they had no intention of taking on the fight once they knew of Harrison's supreme preparation.
Maloney half-expected a stunt of this kind but is adamant the news is not a setback to Harrison's career as promoter Frank Warren begins the search for a replacement opponent for the May 20 King's Hall show.
Maloney told PA Sport: "It's like when you finish with a girl. You rip the number out of your book or lose it from your mobile, that's what I'll do with Guzman's number.
"It is disappointing. Guzman has let boxing fans down but it's not unexpected.
"If you look at Guzman's record he has a history of pulling out of fights and running away.
"You only have to look at how inactive he has been compared to Scott Harrison. They had more problems than Scott.
"Scott will be fitter than ever before, having been training for five weeks. But it's not really a setback. If anything it's a bigger setback for Guzman.
"People will now be wary of talking with him. It shows that if he is not 110% sure of winning a fight then he has no intention of taking a fight.
"They realised Scott Harrison had no intention of pulling out, they had a fight on their hands so they ran away."
Guzman signed a contract to take on Harrison at the King's Hall in Belfast next month.
But he has gone back on his word and declared he is moving up to super-featherweight leaving Harrison in limbo.
Maloney has suggested that Sports Network and the WBO take action against Guzman.
"That's for Sports Network to take up," he added.
The show is still scheduled to go ahead providing a new opponent can be found, with Amir Khan's seventh professional bout against Laszlo Komjathi on the undercard alongside the intriguing welterweight showdown between Eamonn Magee and Takaloo.
The doomed encounter was postponed from its original date in Glasgow because Harrison had an abscess of his tooth.
Both camps had exchanged angry words throughout the build-up to the new date but promoter Frank Warren could not hide his anger at the tough Dominican ********** challenger.
He raged: "After talks with Guzman's camp, they made it clear that Joan has no intention of facing Harrison.
"To say I am disappointed, especially when we had a signed contract for the fight, is an understatement.
"It's a real liberty on the part of Guzman and I think he swallowed it, plain and simple.
"All the talk from him has been about what he was going to do to Harrison but I think it was beginning to dawn on him that Scott really wanted the fight - and give him a hiding.
"And isn't it ironic that having constantly questioned Harrison's ability to make the weight - who unlike Guzman has never failed on the scales at a weigh-in - it turns out that he's got the problem."
It is a major blow to Harrison, who has rejected the opportunity to move up a weight, despite seeing possible high-profile opponents stepping up to super-featherweight.
But Warren and matchmaker Dean Powell are hopeful of securing a decent replacement.
Harrison will still defend his title in Northern Ireland and believes the disappointment can spur him on against whoever he faces.
"I said all along that I would beat Guzman and he knew it," added Harrison.
"It's a shame that he didn't have the heart to face me.
"Now I'm more fired up than ever before and I feel sorry for whoever gets in the ring with me on May 20."
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