Tua Files Protest with WBO. Demands Right to Negotiate for Sanders

LAS VEGAS, NV (March 24, 2003) – The World Boxing Organization (WBO) has ordered its new heavyweight champion Corrie Sanders to defend his title within 120 days of "acquisition of the title, against the Best Classified Contender Available." The problem is, the WBO is violating its own rules by ignoring its "Best Classified Contender Available" -- WBO No. 1 contender DAVID TUA. Instead, the WBO has decided that second-best is is good enough.

But good enough for whom?

"Not David Tua," said Martin Pugh, Tua's co-manager. "The WBO declared Tua unavailable without any formal notice to him, his management or his promoter. Why is the WBO in such a hurry to hold a purse bid for this fight? And isn't it curious that the purse bid is scheduled one day before Tua's fight against Hasim Rahman?"

Tua and Rahman are scheduled to fight in an NABF heayweight title / IBF title elimination bout, March 29, at the First Union Spectrum in Philadelphia, PA, and televised nationally on HBO's "World Championship Boxing," 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT.

"Tua is available to negotiate and has always been available to negotiate," continued Pugh. "If Tua is the No. 1 contender and he's available to negotiate, I think it is safe to say Tua is the ‘Best Classified Contender Available.' Would it not make more sense to wait one day to see if Tua is victorious rather than jumping the gun like this? "

On March 17, Tua's promoter, Cedric Kushner, faxed a letter to Francisco Valcarcel, president of the WBO, stating how difficult it has been to reach him "in the last few days" via Valcarcel's office phone, cell phone and home phone, "...all to no avail." Kushner went on to state in the same letter, "...Tua is positively interested in fighting for the WBO championship."

On March 18, Luis Batista Salas, Chairman of the WBO Championship Committee, stated in a letter to Rodney Berman, Sanders' promoter, "We cannot await the results of this [Tua vs Rahman] for considerations of any sort but a Rahman win would not place him in the number one position. The Championship Committee has thus designated now ranked #2 Lamont Brewster for Corrie Sanders next title defense..."

"Salas states in his letter that a Rahman win would not get him rated No. 1, but what Salas conveniently omits is that if Tua wins, Tua REMAINS the WBO No. 1 contender," said Pugh. "Then Salas closes the letter stating that the promoters of the two fighters, Berman and Don King [Brewster's promoter] ‘Must inform WBO if they wish to negotiate within a 30-day period or go to an immediate Purse Bid.' THIRTY DAYS to negotiate. Again the question is begged, if the WBO allows for a 30-day negotiation period. what is the rush and why can't the WBO wait one more day to see if Tua is victorious?"

On March 19, Dana Jamison, an executive of Don King Productions, faxed a letter to Mr. Salas of the WBO requesting an immediate purse bid, which was followed by Mr. Valcarcel issuing a Notice of Purse Bid that same day, scheduled for March 28, in Hamburg, Germany.

"The WBO has yet to respond to the calls made and the letters sent by Cedric Kushner regarding David Tua's interest in fighting for the WBO heavyweight championship in his capacity as the WBO's No. 1 contender, or in the words of the WBO, the ‘Best Classified Contender Available,'" said Pugh. "All we ask is that the WBO adhere to its own rules and to its own ratings. If we have to, we are prepared to go to court and seek an injunction on the purse bid."

The link will take you to all the correspondence quoted, in their entirety.