By Rick Reeno
Promoter Frank Warren recently told UK media outlet Sportinglife that he plans to make a written offer of $1.6 million to middleweight champion Jermain Taylor, for a July fight with super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe in London.
The offer seems a bit low for a fight where Taylor would not only have to move up in weight, but also gives Calzaghe the home court advantage. BoxingScene.com contacted Taylor’s promoter, Lou DiBella, to get his response to the offer.
“The offer is ridiculously low. That’s half of he made to fight Kassim Ouma, and less than half of what he made to fight Winky Wright. Frank knows my phone number and we can talk. We are very interested in fighting Joe Calzaghe near the end of the year, some time in the fall,” DiBella said.
After watching Calzaghe’s premature stoppage of Peter Manfredo, which took place last weekend in Wales, it’s not unreasonable for Taylor to refuse a fight with Calzaghe in London. DiBella admits that there is always some hesitation with fighting in the UK, but he is more than willing to speak with Warren and make the fight in London – if the right deal can be reached.
“It was a ridiculously premature stoppage, but Manfredo didn’t do anything to fight back. There is always some hesitation to go over there, but we would be willing to come over if the right economic deal can be reached. Right now Frank is in another stratosphere (regarding money), but we are very interested in fighting Joe Calzaghe in the fall.”
Promoter Frank Warren recently told UK media outlet Sportinglife that he plans to make a written offer of $1.6 million to middleweight champion Jermain Taylor, for a July fight with super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe in London.
The offer seems a bit low for a fight where Taylor would not only have to move up in weight, but also gives Calzaghe the home court advantage. BoxingScene.com contacted Taylor’s promoter, Lou DiBella, to get his response to the offer.
“The offer is ridiculously low. That’s half of he made to fight Kassim Ouma, and less than half of what he made to fight Winky Wright. Frank knows my phone number and we can talk. We are very interested in fighting Joe Calzaghe near the end of the year, some time in the fall,” DiBella said.
After watching Calzaghe’s premature stoppage of Peter Manfredo, which took place last weekend in Wales, it’s not unreasonable for Taylor to refuse a fight with Calzaghe in London. DiBella admits that there is always some hesitation with fighting in the UK, but he is more than willing to speak with Warren and make the fight in London – if the right deal can be reached.
“It was a ridiculously premature stoppage, but Manfredo didn’t do anything to fight back. There is always some hesitation to go over there, but we would be willing to come over if the right economic deal can be reached. Right now Frank is in another stratosphere (regarding money), but we are very interested in fighting Joe Calzaghe in the fall.”
