That date won’t work says Linares promoter
After earlier reports that a matchup between Vasyl Lomachenko and WBA lightweight champion Jorge Linares was close to being finalized it appears there may be a bit of a snafu. The issue is strictly about the date that Top Rank wants, well actually needs the fight to take place.
Top Rank CEO Bob Arum previously told 3KingsBoxing.com that the date he needed for ESPN was May 12th. The allocated dates for boxing on ESPN are pretty much set in stone with the network being hot into the NBA playoffs in May. The next available date is toward the end of June.
Golden Boy president Eric Gomez, who co-promotes Linares, did tell Boxing Scene earlier today that he has been in talks with Carl Moretti of Top Rank about the fight and Gomez said he asked:
“What’s the date you guys are contemplating and he said, ‘May 12th’. I said, ‘That’s not going to work. We’ll fight any other date – except May 12th. We already have plans for May 12th.'” Gomez said.
We previously reported this was the hold up with the negotiations but were told it would be worked out. That date happens to be when HBO will air the pay-per-view replay of Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez. Golden Boy would in essence be counter-programming itself.
“I would love to do the fight direct, I would love to do the fight in late May or June. I don’t know what dates they have but late May or June we’re open to. But going into the summer, look, Linares wants to fight Mikey Garcia, too. So if Mikey comes to the plate we have to consider him.”
Let’s hope this doesn’t turn into a fight that should’ve happened. If so we’ll have to listen to fans of each guy scream the infamous “D” word and yes it rhymes with the four letter word that I’ll be saying in my mind but not allowed to print.
If the issue isn’t worked out it is likely Top Rank will move forward with another opponent for Lomachenko as the date is set in stone for them as part of their deal with ESPN. The other opponent is expected to be Raymundo Beltran if he can win his fight this Friday against Paulus Moses for the vacant WBO lightweight title.
By: Chris Henderson
