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What do you think of the boxing sanctioning bodies?
But the WBC simply ignored the legal rights of Dawson, who just so happened to pay the WBC nearly a seven-figure sum in sanctioning fees for four WBC light heavyweight title fights in 2007 and 2008, and two more interim WBC light heavyweight championship bouts in 2009 and 2010. Dawson’s willingness to play the WBC’s shady sanctioning game alone warranted better treatment from Jose Suilaman’s greedy group.
Instead, he could be forced to pay more money to combat WBC-concocted nonsense if Pascal tries to use the WBC’s mandate as an excuse to bypass the rematch Dawson is owed next, now that Pascal has taken one interim title defense. Gary Shaw, Dawson’s Totowa-N.J.-based promoter, hopes such a standoff isn’t necessary.
Instead, he could be forced to pay more money to combat WBC-concocted nonsense if Pascal tries to use the WBC’s mandate as an excuse to bypass the rematch Dawson is owed next, now that Pascal has taken one interim title defense. Gary Shaw, Dawson’s Totowa-N.J.-based promoter, hopes such a standoff isn’t necessary.
The relentless Toney got a lesson in courage and finesse from a cagey veteran who had held the WBA championship from 1989 until early December, when he was relieved of the title by the Panamanian family of boxing's alphabet mobsters. WBA officials had demanded that McCallum defend his title against Steve Collins, the challenger he had defeated in 1990.
"The WBA wanted $30,000 from McCallum's purse, plus a $35,000 exception fee for letting him fight Toney," said Chwasky. "We were going to go along with that. Then they came back and demanded we give Barney Eastwood, Collins's manager, another $50,000 for stepping aside. That's when we said no."
McCallum's purse for fighting Toney was $500,000, $50,000 more than the IBF champion received. The WBA's demands would have sliced McCallum's purse by $115,000. Instead of forking over, Chwasky took his case to Seth Abraham, president of Time Warner Sports, who backed McCallum against the WBA. Abraham assured Chwasky that the company's pay-per-view service, TVKO, would give McCallum his full purse even if the WBA stripped him of its title.
"The WBA wanted $30,000 from McCallum's purse, plus a $35,000 exception fee for letting him fight Toney," said Chwasky. "We were going to go along with that. Then they came back and demanded we give Barney Eastwood, Collins's manager, another $50,000 for stepping aside. That's when we said no."
McCallum's purse for fighting Toney was $500,000, $50,000 more than the IBF champion received. The WBA's demands would have sliced McCallum's purse by $115,000. Instead of forking over, Chwasky took his case to Seth Abraham, president of Time Warner Sports, who backed McCallum against the WBA. Abraham assured Chwasky that the company's pay-per-view service, TVKO, would give McCallum his full purse even if the WBA stripped him of its title.
Why would any fighter put up with this nonsense?
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