By James Blears

It took some of the shrewdest brains and largest egos in boxing to achieve a meeting of minds in a sweltering Mexico City, as a who’s who of promoters agreed to combine forces to realize a fight between WBC Heavyweight Champion Samuel Peter and Emeritus Champion Vitali Klitschko.

Don King, Tom Loeffler, Shelly Finkel and Dino Duva thrashed out an agreement behind closed doors, but then remained a trifle coy about revealing the exact details to an assembled press gaggle, which had been sweating it out for a couple of tepid hours in the Zona Rosa Headquarters of the World Boxing Council, awaiting their grand entrance. The only snippet of a morsel, is that the bout will happen by this October.

Ahmet Oner, the CEO of Arena Box Promotions, who’d come all the way from Germany, was waiting in the wings, with an offer, just in case the negotiations needed a standing count.

He said: “I think Samuel Peter can be happy that I was here, because before this, there was the possibility to have the fight cheaper. I started with 10.6 million dollars in my head, and then went up to 11.7, 12.8 and 13…something.”

But Ahmet is not leaving Mexico City empty handed! Don King reached down into his pocket and pulled out a wad, pealing off five-hundred-dollars for Ahmet’s plane ticket home. Ahmet tried to go for the whole bundle….but didn’t quite make it, amid roars of laughter. He mused: “I’m really disappointed. I wanted to get the rest.”

Don King generously conceded: “Ahmet deserves more than five-hundred-dollars. He is a good man and he’s the future. When you see a guy like that, working hard, it demonstrates that boxing is on the move, when everyone else thinks that boxing is in the doldrums. It is sort of a state without heroes, so we’re trying to create heroes.”

 

Concerning the deal, Mr King enthused: “There was an irresistible force against an immovable object, and something had to give. Give it did, and we’ve made the deal.”

Question marks linger due to Vitali’s history of injuries, but Mr King said he’d received assurances from Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions, commenting: “When Tom assured me that Vitali would be there, he WOULD be there.

“Vitali always been a good fighter and a courageous guy. But he’s been injury prone. You can’t eradicate that. So we faced it head on, and Tom said some things to me in confidence that assured me that Vitali will be there and I believe in and respect Tom Loeffler.”

Tom Loeffler confirmed that the negotiations leading to this success, have been complex. He explained: “This deal has really been worked out over the last few months, and it took these last couple of hours to work out the final details, before a purse bid would have been scheduled.”

As for the prospect of the match up between Vitali and Sam, Tom suggested: “I think it’ll be a very competitive fight. Vitali has a style which is going to be very difficult for Sam Peter.

“Wladimir has beaten Sam Peter already and now Peter wants to get his revenge against his brother Vitali, who wants to prove that he still is deserving to be the WBC Champion of the World.”

Location wise is dependent on cash. Tom stressed: “It really could wind up anywhere. The deal we made between our side and Peter’s side, is to maximize the revenues, so that both fighters benefit as much as possible.”

Dino Duva added: “It’s not going to be one promoter trying to cut the other one’s throat. We’ve agreed to work together, which is the best way to maximize the promotion. I expect Samuel Peter to win, but it’ll be a great fight, while it lasts. I believe Samuel will knock Vitali out!”

As for location, Dino said: “It could be the US, could be Germany, could somewhere else in Europe, could be in China, could be in Nigeria. Whoever is prepared to give us the best deal, then that’s where it’s going to go.”

Shelly Finkel was more succinct. Of the fight he said: “I believe it’s going to happen, and I believe it’ll happen early October. Vitali will be in the best shape he can be and I believe and hope that’s enough. He is determined and working very, very hard to do that.”