Irwin backs out of Balletto fight

"The Kid" scared of "Tiger"

09.09 - Billy "The Kid" Irwin, according to veteran promoter Jimmy Burchfield, is living up to his nickname. Acting more like a kid than man, Irwin has informed Burchfield that he is reneging on his agreement to fight Gary "Tiger" Balletto, claiming he didn't have enough time to train.

Irwin had verbally agreed to fight International Boxing Union lightweight champion Balletto (29-1-2, 25 KOs), of Providence (RI), October 31 in the ESPN2 Friday Night Fights main event, but the Canadian lightweight title-holder Irwin (41-5, 29 KOs) has officially backed-out of the match.

"Two months isn't enough time to train," an irritated Burchfield rhetorically asked. "Irwin must believe Gary Balletto is the top lightweight in the world. Eight weeks is more than enough training time to prepare for a fight. There´s only one reason Irwin doesn´t want to fight Gary and it doesn´t have anything to do with training time.

"We had a verbal agreement. He agreed to his purse along the possibility of raising that amount upon completion of the venue site. We went over all of the particulars and he agreed to everything. Just to make double sure, I then asked him again if the deal was done, so I could go and get the ESPN date. He said, 'yes.' I wouldn´t have spoken to ESPN without Irwin first agreeing to fight Balletto. I can ´t understand how a real fighter would pull something like this. I even told him we´d have the fight in Canada, if he wanted, but he wasn`t interested. "The Kid" is acting like a baby. The only explanation for something like this is that he's scared to fight Gary."

Balletto, 28, is one of the fastest rising young stars in the lightweight division. The only loss of his 32-fight career was by decision to present NABF lightweight champion Michael Clark. Gary is rated No. 2 in the NABF, as well as No. 9 and No. 10 by the NABA and USBA, respectively.

"Now I'm extra working hard to get Gary an opponent for Oct. 31," a terribly disappointed and obviously upset Burchfield added. "He'll be a better fighter than Irwin, a man who really wants to fight. Gary's one of the most exciting and powerful punching lightweights in the world. He's earned his first nationally televised main event and Irwin's pathetic cop-out shouldn't prevent it from happening."