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Don King and Ross Greenburg have been on opposite sides far too often than either cares to admit. But King, the world's most flamboyant boxing promoter, and Greenburg, president of HBO Sports, are on the same side of a plan to unify the heavyweight titles.
King wants a tournament to consolidate the heavyweight titles and Greenburg wants to televise the bouts. One of the fights, the WBC championship between champion Vitali Klitschko and Las Vegas resident Hasim Rahman, is all but set. It will be at New York's Madison Square Garden, probably on April 30 or May 7.
The WBO title fight between Lamon Brewster and challenger Andrew Golota is set for April 16 in Memphis, Tenn., King said Saturday from St. Louis, where he is promoting Saturday's undisputed welterweight title fight between Cory Spinks and Zab Judah. King had hoped to put Brewster-Golota in Buffalo, N.Y., but couldn't get a deal.
He hopes to match IBF champion Chris Byrd of Las Vegas against Wladimir Klitschko on April 23, then follow with Vitali Klitschko and Rahman in May. Later in the month, perhaps May 21, King said WBA champion John Ruiz of Las Vegas would defend against James Toney, who recently was made the organization's mandatory contender.
"We will make Ross Greenburg look like a genius with this," King said. "It will be April madness."
It's a long way from reality, though. Byrd said the first he heard of the proposed fight against Wladimir Klitschko was from a reporter. He snickered and said, "Yeah, and I've got an offer to fight Muhammad Ali in Zaire, too."
Byrd's attorney, John Hornewer, said he has been trying to contact King for weeks, hoping to set up a Byrd-Toney match, but King hasn't called back.
"I guess with the inaugural and the Trump wedding, Don doesn't have time to fit me into his social schedule," Hornewer said.
• ROCK CONFIDENT --Rahman said he's anxious to fight Vitali Klitschko to prove his claim of being the world's top heavyweight. Rahman is regarded as the most talented of the contenders, but he has struggled because he hasn't always been dedicated.
However, he vowed to train diligently for his Nov. 13 bout against Kali Meehan and was superb in gaining a fourth-round stoppage. He said he believes he can become the undisputed champion.
"(Klitschko) is a strong fighter, but I'm not impressed with his skills," Rahman said. "He's awkward and that makes him elusive. He's not that easy to hit, but he's trickable. He can be taken to school.
"I feel as though I'm definitely on top of my game now. I won't come in at anything less than 100 percent. Then, we'll find out who the man is. Vitali is the man now, the linear champion, but I plan to take his belt and go clean up the rest of the division."
Byrd isn't the only heavyweight who wants a bout with Toney, the talkative former middleweight champion who has beaten Evander Holyfield and Rydell Booker since moving up to heavyweight.
Rahman said Toney doesn't talk trash in his presence.
"He's a chump, a fraud," Rahman said. "He couldn't knock out Rydell Booker. He wouldn't go two rounds with me. When James is talking to reporters or is on the telephone or the Internet, he has a lot to say. But when I'm around, you could hear a mouse pee on cotton."
• WINKY SET -- Super welterweight champion Winky Wright said he was surprised by how good Felix Trinidad looked after almost 2 1/2 years away from the ring when Trinidad stopped Ricardo Mayorga in October in New York.
Wright said Trinidad looked like a more complete fighter than when he retired in 2002, and he's treating that as good news.
Wright meets Trinidad on May 14 at the MGM Grand in a 12-round middleweight nontitle bout that could define his career. Wright is glad Trinidad looked good against Mayorga, "because I want ya'll to give me full credit when I beat this man. It's not like I'm beating some smaller guy coming up like some people said when I beat Shane (Mosley). I'm going up to get him."
Wright desperately wanted the fight with Trinidad, accepting $1 million less than the $5 million he wanted; Trinidad is getting $10 million. Wright said he'll be boxing's biggest attraction on the heels of back-to-back victories over Mosley and a win over Trinidad.
"This fight is bigger to me than the money," Wright said. "It's going to mean a lot more opportunities and that's what I want. After Tito, I want (undisputed middleweight champion) Bernard (Hopkins). I want anyone who is anyone at any weight near me."
• DIAZ SAYS YES -- Showtime quickly found a replacement for the anticipated March 5 lightweight unification bout between WBC champion Jose Luis Castillo and WBO champion Diego Corrales of Las Vegas, which fizzled because of contractual problems.
Showtime landed IBF champion Julio Diaz, who was preparing for a stay-busy defense next month against Levander Johnson when he learned he had the opportunity to fight Castillo. He quickly said yes and the bout was signed for Mandalay Bay.
Castillo is regarded as the top lightweight in the world, and Diaz said that is the type of challenge he is seeking.
"I was calling guys out and nobody wanted to fight me. I think they weren't giving me credit as a worthy fighter," Diaz said. "I know I can beat this guy. I know I have the skills for his style of fighting.
"My brother, (welterweight) Antonio Diaz, was a tough, strong brawler like Castillo. He just comes in and tries to run over you, but I never had a problem with him. He couldn't run over me. I've worked with a lot of these heavier, older guys and I always managed to handle them with no problem. That's why I know I can do this."
King wants a tournament to consolidate the heavyweight titles and Greenburg wants to televise the bouts. One of the fights, the WBC championship between champion Vitali Klitschko and Las Vegas resident Hasim Rahman, is all but set. It will be at New York's Madison Square Garden, probably on April 30 or May 7.
The WBO title fight between Lamon Brewster and challenger Andrew Golota is set for April 16 in Memphis, Tenn., King said Saturday from St. Louis, where he is promoting Saturday's undisputed welterweight title fight between Cory Spinks and Zab Judah. King had hoped to put Brewster-Golota in Buffalo, N.Y., but couldn't get a deal.
He hopes to match IBF champion Chris Byrd of Las Vegas against Wladimir Klitschko on April 23, then follow with Vitali Klitschko and Rahman in May. Later in the month, perhaps May 21, King said WBA champion John Ruiz of Las Vegas would defend against James Toney, who recently was made the organization's mandatory contender.
"We will make Ross Greenburg look like a genius with this," King said. "It will be April madness."
It's a long way from reality, though. Byrd said the first he heard of the proposed fight against Wladimir Klitschko was from a reporter. He snickered and said, "Yeah, and I've got an offer to fight Muhammad Ali in Zaire, too."
Byrd's attorney, John Hornewer, said he has been trying to contact King for weeks, hoping to set up a Byrd-Toney match, but King hasn't called back.
"I guess with the inaugural and the Trump wedding, Don doesn't have time to fit me into his social schedule," Hornewer said.
• ROCK CONFIDENT --Rahman said he's anxious to fight Vitali Klitschko to prove his claim of being the world's top heavyweight. Rahman is regarded as the most talented of the contenders, but he has struggled because he hasn't always been dedicated.
However, he vowed to train diligently for his Nov. 13 bout against Kali Meehan and was superb in gaining a fourth-round stoppage. He said he believes he can become the undisputed champion.
"(Klitschko) is a strong fighter, but I'm not impressed with his skills," Rahman said. "He's awkward and that makes him elusive. He's not that easy to hit, but he's trickable. He can be taken to school.
"I feel as though I'm definitely on top of my game now. I won't come in at anything less than 100 percent. Then, we'll find out who the man is. Vitali is the man now, the linear champion, but I plan to take his belt and go clean up the rest of the division."
Byrd isn't the only heavyweight who wants a bout with Toney, the talkative former middleweight champion who has beaten Evander Holyfield and Rydell Booker since moving up to heavyweight.
Rahman said Toney doesn't talk trash in his presence.
"He's a chump, a fraud," Rahman said. "He couldn't knock out Rydell Booker. He wouldn't go two rounds with me. When James is talking to reporters or is on the telephone or the Internet, he has a lot to say. But when I'm around, you could hear a mouse pee on cotton."
• WINKY SET -- Super welterweight champion Winky Wright said he was surprised by how good Felix Trinidad looked after almost 2 1/2 years away from the ring when Trinidad stopped Ricardo Mayorga in October in New York.
Wright said Trinidad looked like a more complete fighter than when he retired in 2002, and he's treating that as good news.
Wright meets Trinidad on May 14 at the MGM Grand in a 12-round middleweight nontitle bout that could define his career. Wright is glad Trinidad looked good against Mayorga, "because I want ya'll to give me full credit when I beat this man. It's not like I'm beating some smaller guy coming up like some people said when I beat Shane (Mosley). I'm going up to get him."
Wright desperately wanted the fight with Trinidad, accepting $1 million less than the $5 million he wanted; Trinidad is getting $10 million. Wright said he'll be boxing's biggest attraction on the heels of back-to-back victories over Mosley and a win over Trinidad.
"This fight is bigger to me than the money," Wright said. "It's going to mean a lot more opportunities and that's what I want. After Tito, I want (undisputed middleweight champion) Bernard (Hopkins). I want anyone who is anyone at any weight near me."
• DIAZ SAYS YES -- Showtime quickly found a replacement for the anticipated March 5 lightweight unification bout between WBC champion Jose Luis Castillo and WBO champion Diego Corrales of Las Vegas, which fizzled because of contractual problems.
Showtime landed IBF champion Julio Diaz, who was preparing for a stay-busy defense next month against Levander Johnson when he learned he had the opportunity to fight Castillo. He quickly said yes and the bout was signed for Mandalay Bay.
Castillo is regarded as the top lightweight in the world, and Diaz said that is the type of challenge he is seeking.
"I was calling guys out and nobody wanted to fight me. I think they weren't giving me credit as a worthy fighter," Diaz said. "I know I can beat this guy. I know I have the skills for his style of fighting.
"My brother, (welterweight) Antonio Diaz, was a tough, strong brawler like Castillo. He just comes in and tries to run over you, but I never had a problem with him. He couldn't run over me. I've worked with a lot of these heavier, older guys and I always managed to handle them with no problem. That's why I know I can do this."
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