PROMOTER CLAIMS NO AGREEMENT ON DONAIRE TITLE DEFENSE IN MACAU
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 31 Jul 2008
Well known South African promoter Branco Milenkovic says he was very surprised at Top Rank promoter Bob Arum?s comments which were followed up by IBF flyweight champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire who stated that Donaire?s mandatory title against Moruti ?Baby Face? Mthalane is set to take place in Macau on October 11.
Milenkovic called www.insidesports.ph from South Africa to categorically state that ?up to this point in time I never heard from Bob (Arum) and if this is the case we will have to go to a purse bid.?
Mthalane earned a mandatory shot at Donaire when he handily defeated Australia ?s Hussein Hussein in a title eliminator last July 5 at the Jan Smuts stadium in East London, South Africa.
IBF Championship Committee Chairman Lindsey Tucker earlier informed Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that Arum and Milenkovic who handles Mthalane were directed to begin negotiations for staging the title fight and gave them an August 7 deadline. If the two sides are unable to reach an agreement then the IBF will call for a purse bid.
Milenkovic said he doesn?t think it will be a problem asking Arum to allow him to put the fight together in South Africa pointing out that he had ?worked with him two years ago for the HBO fight between Jorge Arce and Masibulele ?Hawk? Makepula.?
Should negotiations not work out Milenkovic, the top promoter in South Africa said ?I will go for the purse bid as I have done in the past.?
Milenkovic said Mthalane is ?very young and is only 23 but to be honest it won?t be an easy fight for Donaire? since he has not fought since December 1 last year when he scored a eighth round TKO over Mexico?s Luis Maldonado.
The South African promoter claimed the Donaire camp ?tried to get an extension to fight somebody else but that he had objected strongly? and the plan was scuttled.
There have been indications from both Arum and Donaire that there are plans for the Filipino world champion who won the title on July 7 last year with a sensational fifth round, one punch stoppage of Vic Darchinyan, to move up to super flyweight.
In fact Arum said he was planning a tune-up fight for Donaire in Mexico this September followed by a big fight against Mexican warrior Jorge Arce in the first quarter of next year in Manila.
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