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Since there is a lot of talk of rematch clauses and potential legal cases regarding AJ/Ruiz 2 I thought I would look at one of the most high profile fights to go this route.
For some backround: In 2001 Lennox Lewis wanted to fight Mike Tyson. Unfortunately Tyson got suspended for weed and killed the fight for that year. Lewis instead took a stay busy fight against a little known Hasim Rahman. Lewis reportedly did not take this fight seriously and was more focused on his cameo in the movie Oceans 11 than training for this one. As we all know it bit him hard and he got shocked with a late round KO despite being comfortably ahead on most cards.
There was of course a rematch clause as is usual for the champion to get. Rahman signed with Don King and was offered $17 million for the rematch and even offered $19 million from Showtime to fight Tyson. Rahman instead decided to take a fight with barely known David Izon for $5 million. Lewis took him to court and a judge ruled the rematch clause was valid and Rahman could not take another fight without honoring the signed agreement. The rematch was made and we all know how that turned out.
There are some differences of course. It seems Ruiz’s big objection is the location and the pay, both of which he signed away to get the AJ fight. If precedents are to be looked it, then most judges seem to rule that a signed rematch clause is valid. Having some history with contract law, the difficulty for Ruiz is he can’t argue he didn’t have adequate representation. Haymon has been in the business for decades and Ruiz had the means to hire an outside lawyer to review the deal if he had concerns about what he was signing. He has an uphill battle arguing the deal was unfair. DAZN/Hearn are putting on the event and are assuming the financial risks so it’s not unreasonable IMO for them to want to determine the location.
We’ll see what happens and I’ll gladly eat crow if I’m wrong but I think Hearn will eventually sue, but they will settle it before and Ruiz goes to SA with more money given to him.
For some backround: In 2001 Lennox Lewis wanted to fight Mike Tyson. Unfortunately Tyson got suspended for weed and killed the fight for that year. Lewis instead took a stay busy fight against a little known Hasim Rahman. Lewis reportedly did not take this fight seriously and was more focused on his cameo in the movie Oceans 11 than training for this one. As we all know it bit him hard and he got shocked with a late round KO despite being comfortably ahead on most cards.
There was of course a rematch clause as is usual for the champion to get. Rahman signed with Don King and was offered $17 million for the rematch and even offered $19 million from Showtime to fight Tyson. Rahman instead decided to take a fight with barely known David Izon for $5 million. Lewis took him to court and a judge ruled the rematch clause was valid and Rahman could not take another fight without honoring the signed agreement. The rematch was made and we all know how that turned out.
There are some differences of course. It seems Ruiz’s big objection is the location and the pay, both of which he signed away to get the AJ fight. If precedents are to be looked it, then most judges seem to rule that a signed rematch clause is valid. Having some history with contract law, the difficulty for Ruiz is he can’t argue he didn’t have adequate representation. Haymon has been in the business for decades and Ruiz had the means to hire an outside lawyer to review the deal if he had concerns about what he was signing. He has an uphill battle arguing the deal was unfair. DAZN/Hearn are putting on the event and are assuming the financial risks so it’s not unreasonable IMO for them to want to determine the location.
We’ll see what happens and I’ll gladly eat crow if I’m wrong but I think Hearn will eventually sue, but they will settle it before and Ruiz goes to SA with more money given to him.
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