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In a test of powerful boxing manager Al Haymon’s ability to balance the needs of his stable with his own fight promotion, Southland heavyweight Charles Martin on Tuesday landed a chance to fight for the newly vacant International Boxing Federation heavyweight title.
Martin’s opportunity was presented when the IBF stripped recently crowned champion Tyson Fury of one of the three heavyweight titles he earned by defeating long-reigning Wladimir Klitschko in Germany on Nov. 28.
Fury rejected fighting 2008 Olympian Vyacheslav Glazkov of Ukraine in favor of pursuing a richer rematch against Klitschko.
Haymon, who runs Premier Boxing Champions, then acted by pulling his fighter, Martin, off the co-main event of Haymon’s "PBC on NBC" Saturday fight card in San Antonio.
The IBF ordered a purse bid for Martin to fight its mandatory challenger, Glazkov (21-0-1, 13 knockouts).
The purse bid will involve promoter Kathy Duva’s company, Main Events, and Warriors Boxing Promotions, one of the promoters who work closely with PBC.
“I’m happy we have some certainty that our guy’s going to get a title fight and we don’t have to keep our guy waiting too long,” Duva said. “And if our guy wins, we get control of his career.”
Martin (22-0-1, 20 knockouts) trains in Carson and rose to No. 2 in the IBF rankings following a third-round technical-knockout victory in Alabama on Sept. 26.
His “PBC on NBC” showdown with Upland’s Dominic Breazale (16-0, 14 KOs) was to precede a 140-pound fight between former world champion Omar Figueroa Jr. and Antonio DeMarco.
A PBC spokesman said the organization is seeking an emergency replacement for Martin to fight Breazale.
Duva said she “feels great” about Glazkov’s chances to defeat Martin, whom she said balked at a prior invitation.
After previously suing Haymon, alleging he’s violating the Muhammad Ali Act that forbids a manager from functioning as a promoter, Duva said the Martin episode “is [Haymon’s] problem, not mine.
“It’s a problem serving three masters -- the fighters and the TV network. That’s his decision to be involved in that. I don’t know that losing Martin off this card will diminish this specific audience in this case, but you could foresee a day when it could in a far more significant way.
“He’s constantly in conflicts.”
Last week, Duva rejected Haymon’s efforts to stage a fight between Glazkov and Haymon’s World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder.
One of the proposals would have forced Duva to pay another promoter considerations known as “options” for future Glazkov fights.
The day after rejecting the deal, Duva said she received notice from the IBF about enforcing Fury’s mandatory defense against her fighter.
“We’re playing chess. That’s how the management of this unorganized league is run,” Duva said. “We’re all playing chess, trying to put the other side in checkmate. And we won this time.”
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In a test of powerful boxing manager Al Haymon’s ability to balance the needs of his stable with his own fight promotion, Southland heavyweight Charles Martin on Tuesday landed a chance to fight for the newly vacant International Boxing Federation heavyweight title.
Martin’s opportunity was presented when the IBF stripped recently crowned champion Tyson Fury of one of the three heavyweight titles he earned by defeating long-reigning Wladimir Klitschko in Germany on Nov. 28.
Fury rejected fighting 2008 Olympian Vyacheslav Glazkov of Ukraine in favor of pursuing a richer rematch against Klitschko.
Haymon, who runs Premier Boxing Champions, then acted by pulling his fighter, Martin, off the co-main event of Haymon’s "PBC on NBC" Saturday fight card in San Antonio.
The IBF ordered a purse bid for Martin to fight its mandatory challenger, Glazkov (21-0-1, 13 knockouts).
The purse bid will involve promoter Kathy Duva’s company, Main Events, and Warriors Boxing Promotions, one of the promoters who work closely with PBC.
“I’m happy we have some certainty that our guy’s going to get a title fight and we don’t have to keep our guy waiting too long,” Duva said. “And if our guy wins, we get control of his career.”
Martin (22-0-1, 20 knockouts) trains in Carson and rose to No. 2 in the IBF rankings following a third-round technical-knockout victory in Alabama on Sept. 26.
His “PBC on NBC” showdown with Upland’s Dominic Breazale (16-0, 14 KOs) was to precede a 140-pound fight between former world champion Omar Figueroa Jr. and Antonio DeMarco.
A PBC spokesman said the organization is seeking an emergency replacement for Martin to fight Breazale.
Duva said she “feels great” about Glazkov’s chances to defeat Martin, whom she said balked at a prior invitation.
After previously suing Haymon, alleging he’s violating the Muhammad Ali Act that forbids a manager from functioning as a promoter, Duva said the Martin episode “is [Haymon’s] problem, not mine.
“It’s a problem serving three masters -- the fighters and the TV network. That’s his decision to be involved in that. I don’t know that losing Martin off this card will diminish this specific audience in this case, but you could foresee a day when it could in a far more significant way.
“He’s constantly in conflicts.”
Last week, Duva rejected Haymon’s efforts to stage a fight between Glazkov and Haymon’s World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder.
One of the proposals would have forced Duva to pay another promoter considerations known as “options” for future Glazkov fights.
The day after rejecting the deal, Duva said she received notice from the IBF about enforcing Fury’s mandatory defense against her fighter.
“We’re playing chess. That’s how the management of this unorganized league is run,” Duva said. “We’re all playing chess, trying to put the other side in checkmate. And we won this time.”
Follow Lance Pugmire on Twitter Latimespugmire