Earlier today Bob Arum informed the Los Angeles Boxing Examiner that Fernando Montiel and and Nonito Donaire?s participation in a Showtime sponsored 118 pound tournament was nixed due to the format and how it could possibly effect the health of the fighters.
Fellow promoter Gary Shaw, who promotes potential participant Vic Darchinyan, thinks Arum?s concern is original, if anything.
?I have heard many excuses, but that is a brand new one,? Shaw told the Los Angeles Boxing Examiner. ? I respect Bob Arum, and he can do whatever he wants with his fighters.?
According to Shaw Showtime is offering to air a minimum of three fights and possible up to five for each fighter. This could not be verified by Showtime at the time of the article?s publication.
Shaw went on to question where the loser of a proposed Montiel and Donaire bout would go afterwards in a boxing economy which does not tend to support the bantamweight division.
?My bet is that Donaire gets dragged down to Mexico screaming and kicking all the way across the border, wondering how he missed this great chance to fight Darchinyan, (Yonnhy) Perez, (Abner) Mares, and (Joseph) Agbeko.?
The latest freeze between Golden Boy Promotion and Arum?s Top Rank might also be effecting Arum?s decision, according to Shaw.
?Maybe on second thought, he just doesn’t want to do business with Richard Schaefer from Golden Boy, because Bob and I get along fine,?
It would be a shame if a bantamweight tournament goes one, in any format, without two of the best fighters in the world.
