There is a “Wild Turkey” on the loose in the welterweight division and he threatens to disrupt any chance undefeated American Andre Berto has of landing a spring, big money title match against Manny Pacquiao.
His name is Selcuk Adin, more commonly known as “Mini-Tyson” and he’s ready to fight for his right to get a mandatory WBC title go against the 27-0, 21 KOs Haitian-American from Winter Park, Fl.
No one will speak on the record but the traditional step aside fee payment is what the Berto camp has in mind should the undefeated WBC welterweight champion beat the odds and win the Next Manny Pacquiao Fight Lottery.
“If they get lucky and Pacquiao picks Berto,” one insider said Monday, “then the Berto camp will make some reasonable financial arrangement for the Turk to step aside. They know they will have to do that.”
Pacquiao is looking at a fight date of either April 16 or May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
(Ironically, the seemingly unavailable Floyd Mayweather, who shares adviser Al Haymon with Berto, is the No. 1 contender but not the mandatory welterweight challenger in the latest WBC ratings.)
With Pacman promoter Bob Arum telling me last week that Golden Boy’s purse request for Chapter 3 of the series between the Pinoy Idol and Mexican counterpuncher Juan Manuel Marquez was excessive and would not be responded to, Sugar Shane Mosley’s frontrunner status was only burnished further.
(See Ramon Catapang’s take, which is that Marquez, Berto and/or Mosley are all lemmings prepared to hurl themselves off the Pacquiao Cliff.)
Mosley had shook himself loose from contractual obligations to Oscar de la Hoya’s company, or at least acts as though he has, and the 39 year old’s desultory performances against Mayweather and Sergio Mora are being downplayed by Arum.
Fresh faced Berto, age 27, might be bearing some unwanted baggage if no arrangement is made to pacify Adin,
While Pacman might covet the WBC crown at 147 pounds, one he’s owned before, would he want to have any obligation to compulsory challenger Selcuyk Adin, the so called “Mini Tyson” born in Turkey and residing in Hamburg?
(Of course, Pacman could spurn the WBC belt before or after fighting Berto.)
The WBC ruled at its recent convention in Cancun that Berto has until March 31 to make his mandatory title defense against promoter Ahmet Oner’s fighter and a press release sent out Monday indicates Adin is training in Miami for a Berto title bout and he talks tough about the situation.
According to Aydin, Berto is not worthy of a Pacquaio payday.
“I think the whole discussion is sort of ridiculous. Of course, every fighter wants to fight the best and every promoter wants to make the biggest possible money. Still Berto has done nothing to deserve a shot against Pacquiao and he should stop running his mouth. I would be happy and honored to challenge a fhantastic fighter like Pauqiao who I respect.
“But I know my role and my place and I know that I am not in a position to demand a fight against him. The same counts for Berto. He should stop fantasizing about it and face reality ? and the only reality for Andre Berto right now is facing Selcuk Aydin. If he beats me I will shut up and he can go on and fight Pacquaio or whoever he wants. But as long as he?s ducking me I can only say that he should get his game together and fulfil his obligations. I will put him to sleep so he can go on dreaming about Pacquiao when he is in la-la-land.?
For his part, Oner said: “Berto has to fight Selcuk or relinquish his championship belt. It?s as simple as that. We allowed him to take the optional fight against Hernandez. Now Selcuk?s time has come. I will talk to Lou DiBella and if we cannot reach an agreement we will go to purse bid. Selcuk is ready to fight Berto anyplace anytime. If we win the purse bid we might stage the fight in Turkey but we have no problem with fightings in the USA either. We just want the fight to go ahead.?
Oner’s Hamburg-based promotional concern is known as Arenbox. Oner, who is also from Turkey, is a former pro boxer.
Thuggish sidelight to Adin’s glorious amateur career is that he turned pro after being given a five year ban from the simon pure ranks after attacking a referee in the 2006 European Championships.
Pacquiao fans will recognize one name from Adin’s amateur resume, that of regular Manny sparring partner David Rodela, who was beaten by Adin.
