Check out the latest boxing gossip, news and notes for Thursday, February 11, 2016.
Got a tip or gossip piece? Email Leann at RoundByRoundBoxing@gmail.com.
50 Cent Answers With a Strong Right Hand
Photo by Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
Billy Dib, former featherweight champion, talked with Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph, about his hardships with promoter 50 Cent and SMS Promotions.
50 Cent, also known as Curtis Jackson, signed Dib in 2012 to a three-year multi-fight contract. Dib says he was only paid a fraction of what he was owed over six fights, and while he would not discuss exact numbers, the ballpark figure is well over a million dollars.
When 50 cent formed SMS Promotions with his friend at the time, Floyd Mayweather and TMT Promotions, there was a big feud between the two that caused them to split ways, and leave 50 Cent on his own. The company would later claim bankruptcy.
“My career was skyrocketing, things were going amazing, and then unfortunately–and I do mean unfortunately–I signed for 50 Cent, who basically knew nothing about the sport of boxing,” Dib said in his article.
50 Cent couldn’t keep quiet for too long, as he took to his Instagram page to speak his side of how everything went down.
[otw_shortcode_quote border=”bordered” border_style=”bordered”]The truth is Billy Dib is an ungrateful fighter who was deemed unwatchable by premium networks like Showtime and HBO when I met him. Floyd was mad at me for signing him in the first place. With a record of 35-1 (21 KO’s), Dib must have fought 21 cab drivers in Australia because Evgeny Gradovich with a record of 15-1 (8 KO’s) beat the shit out of him, despite taking the fight on a month’s notice. It’s no secret that the level of competition and talent fighting in America is the highest. The best fighters in the world come here to fight. 8 months later, I put Dib on the Manny Pacquiao undercard for the rematch with Gradovich. He got knocked the fuck out. I can only set the fight up….I can’t fight for you, punk! I didn’t take a dime of your money. They call me a lot of shit, but never a thief. – 50 Cent [/otw_shortcode_quote]
Dib has announced he will return to the ring, February 26th in Bankstown, Australia, against Sukkasem Kietyongyuth (13-4, 8 KOs).
This will be the first fight since his wife’s passing from cancer last September.
Bob Arum Loves Hispanics
Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images
This year marks 50 years of promotions for Bob Arum. He is also making it one of his most controversial. Yesterday’s press conference for the Pacquaio-Bradley 3 undercard kicked off in Los Angeles, and Arum has given this undercard the title of the Donald Trump undercard.
“I am completely disgusted by these politicians and their hate for the Hispanic/Latino race in this country. So before one of these guys gets elected and deports all the Hispanics, I wanted to pack a card with the best of the best in the business right now,” said Arum.
Arum continued to make jokes about the political issue, and even Evgeny Gradovich’s manager Egis Klimas joined in. “We are in a tough position because they really don’t like Russians, or Mexicans and Evgeny is the the Mexican Russian.”
The undercard for Pacquiao-Bradley kicks off at 9:00 pm, EST/6:00 pm, PST on HBO pay-per-view, April 9 from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Quotes from Vargas, Ali, Thompson and Ortiz
Golden Boy Promotions held a conference call with Top Rank as well, for their fight card on March 5 in Washington D.C. For the HBO telecast, two fights will be featured.
Sadam Ali vs. Jessie Vargas for the vacant WBO World welterweight title. The main event will feature heavyweighs Tony Thompson vs. Luis Ortiz.
Jessie Vargas- “I plan to make Ali quit. He’s not on my level. Experience wise, I’m the better fighter.”
Sadam Ali- “He can be over confident if he wants to be. I’m confident too. But if he thinks he’s gonna make me quit (starts laughing), that’s just not in my nature.”
Tony Thompson- “I’m 44 years old man. I been in this game a long time. My entire career has been taking fights on short notice. This is nothing new to me, in fact I actually prefer it that way. He might be King Kong, but I’m Godzilla, let’s get this fight going man.”
Luis Ortiz –“I’m just happy to be in the ring, it’s been hard to find opponents.”
A few weeks back, Thompson spoke to Boxing Scene and said he would happily step in if, then opponent Alexander Dimitrenko, pulled out of the fight.
“Man, I’m 6’5 260lbs, I would put a whoopin on that fool, that would leave HBO and Golden Boy scratching their heads. I’m 44, but he’s 36 and he look older than me. I’m telling you, this guy aint shit.”
Thompson got exactly what he asked for. We’ll see who goes down on March 5th, King Kong or Godzilla.
