DKP Press Release: The World Boxing Association held meetings at their recent annual convention in Medellin, Colombia, where they ordered an interim heavyweight championship between WBA No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger Kali Meehan and former WBA heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev. Meehan earned the WBA No. 1 position in October 2007 by scoring a sixth-round technical knockout over DaVarryl Williamson at Madison Square Garden, and he has been patiently waiting to fight for the WBA heavyweight championship ever since. “I am grateful Don King has maintained his faith in me, and I will become the WBA interim heavyweight champion,” Meehan said. “I look forward to meeting and defeating Ruslan Chagaev and then facing the winner of David Haye versus John Ruiz..”
The WBA confirmed that the winner of Meehan-Chagaev will face the winner of the match between newly crowned WBA heavyweight champion David Haye and WBA heavyweight mandatory challenger John Ruiz.
Meehan’s promoter, Don King, said he’s relieved Meehan will finally get the match he was promised.
“Kali has been very loyal and committed to the WBA and their problems while waiting over two years to appear in the world championship match he earned,” King said. “He understood their problems and has been patient, going along with them to keep the WBA in good standing.”
“The WBA is committed to Kali Meehan fighting for their interim heavyweight championship and for the winner of this match to become mandatory challenger for their most prestigious crown, the WBA heavyweight championship.
“Kali will have Australia and New Zealand behind him when he steps into the ring.”
King: Ruiz Still Under Contract With DKP
Promoter Don King claims he has a valid contract to promote heavyweight boxer John Ruiz, and Ruiz’s claims that he is a promotional free agent are false.
“John Ruiz is my fighter,” King said. “I have a valid promotional agreement that designates me as his promoter. I do not understand why he and his manager are representing that he is a free agent when that is clearly not the case.”
Ruiz (44-8-1, 30 KOs) is a two time World Boxing Association heavyweight champion and is currently the WBA No. 1-ranked contender and mandatory challenger to new champion David Haye.
King has represented Ruiz since 1998. From 1998 through 2007, Ruiz fought 15 consecutive matches under the WBA banner, becoming a two-time WBA heavyweight champion. He has fought in a total of 11 WBA heavyweight championship matches under King’s representation.
King said he felt the winds of change blowing when Ruiz’s longtime manager Norman “Stoney” Stone, who had managed Ruiz since he was a Boston-area amateur, was ousted in 2005 by the lawyer Stone had brought in to represent Ruiz, Tony Cardinale.
“When they double-crossed Stoney, I knew something had gone wrong, and it wouldn’t be long until I’d be standing in Stoney’s shoes,” King said of the Ruiz camp.
Contacted to comment, Stone was not bashful in his assessment.
“I brought Tony into the Ruiz camp and look what they did to me,” Stone said. “It comes as no surprise what Tony is trying to do to Don now.
“Don stands right next to me as the two people who did the most to further the career of John Ruiz. Without Don King there is no John Ruiz becoming heavyweight champion of the world.”