31.01.07 – By Michael Marley, Boxingconfidential.com: Jose Sulaiman, president of the WBC, has now made all the parties in the Oleg Maskaev-Vitali Klitschko-Sam Peter case unhappy. I have learned exclusively that Sulaiman has fired off a letter to all concerned parties that they are to resolve their dispute about who WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev fights next by mediation . Sulaiman has ordered the invvolved parties to show up at the organization offices in the Colonia Lindavista section of Mexico City this Monday..
It was thought that Sulaiman would put the controversy to the WBC Executive Committee for a vote. Maksaev wants to make a late April or May title defense in Moscow against returning “champion emeritus” Klitschko. Maskaev promoter Dennis Rappaport and ubiquitous Vitali rep Shelly Finkel (who also reps IBF champ and Vitali brother Wladimir) have worked out all but the tiniest of details for such a big title bout in Moscow.
On the side of top contender Sam Peter, Don King, Dino Duva and manager Iyvalo Gotzev are all pushing for the big African, a two-time winner of James Toney, to get the next title shot.
“I am en route to Manhattan to meet with my high-priced lawyer right now,” Duva said. “We’re looking at all our options and all the rules. I need my lawyer’s guidance. Then I will discuss this with Sam and Iyvalo.”
Since it’s huge loss in a federal case filed by ex-champion Graciano Rocchigianni, the WBC, which nearly went out of business, has been extremely gun-shy about being drawn into more litigation.
Although he was a notable champion, perhaps Rocchigiani’s most significant achievement was his victory in a lawsuit in 1998 against the WBC, in which he was awarded a $31 million judgment for damages over the loss of his light heavyweight title. When the WBC announced its intentions to dissolve, he settled for an undisclosed sum. It has been said the WBC makes annual payments of $330,000 as part of the settlement.
In 2006, Rocchigianni was sentenced to five months in jail for hitting a taxi driver in Germany.
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