DE LA HOYA MANDATORY DEFENSE SET AGAINST KARMAZIN
Photo: Michael V. Ornelas/ InsideBoxing
(INSIDE BOXING) From WBC President Jose Sulaiman: "I am very pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached for Oscar De La Hoya of the United States and Roman Karmazin of Russia to fight on December 8, 2001, for De La Hoya's mandatory defense against the No. 1 ranked official challenger, in compliance with the WBC Rules and Regulations.
"The WBC had offered No. 2 ranked Fernando Vargas the opportunity to fight No. 1 Karmazin in a final elimination bout, with the winner being the WBC official challenger for De La Hoya. Karmazin accepted, Vargas did not. Vargas' representatives communicated to me that they preferred a title fight rather than an elimination bout against such a good fighter as Karmazin. They also said that after Vargas fought Shibata Flores, he might then move to fight De La Hoya, to which the WBC expressed that it would not be with our approval if De La Hoya did not first comply with the WBC rules for his mandatory defense, to which all WBC champions are committed.
"OSCAR DE LA HOYA ACCEPTED THE MANDATORY DEFENSE AND TO ABIDE BY THE RULES. ROMAN KARMAZIN ACCEPTED THE ELIMINATION BOUT WITH VARGAS, THEN THE WORLD TITLE FIGHT AFTER VARGAS DECLINED. FERNANDO VARGAS DID NOT ACCEPT THE ELIMINATION BOUT AND SIGNED TO FIGHT FOR SOME OTHER TITLE.
"Fernando Vargas became an unavailable challenger for the WBC title when he signed to fight for another title and was taken out of the ratings in compliance with WBC rules, not for any other reason. Vargas is a very good fighter, popular and charismatic, as well as a good friend of the WBC, and he may fight for a WBC title at any time when the rules are met.
"Oscar De La Hoya has shown respect for the rules of our organization as its champion, set exemplary principles, and avoided having boxing continue going towards chaos and anarchy that could someday destroy the sport.
"Those that say, write, or think that top boxing is only a combat between two fighters for money may know about the show but have no idea about what boxing really is. Boxing is a sport of champions; a world championship is the only dream of a boxer since the very first time that he puts on the gloves. Boxers need a world organization to place the ladder that will take them up based on their merits, in order to reach the stars and accomplish their highest goals.
"Oscar knows this; his decision to comply with the rules of the WBC, where he is a source of pride and a hero, equals all the other champions who do the same, to set an example of order, good rule and credibility to boxing and our organization against those that use our beloved sport as a chess game to move according to the money or the vested interests, with little or no regard to scruples or principles.
"It was the WBC which brought into boxing in 1971 the annual mandatory defense, to destroy the system of ducking the best challengers as it happened to Sonny Liston, Archie Moore, and Jose Napoles, who waited about five years to get a title opportunty, as well as countless others throughout history, therefore changing the path of boxing to open opportunities to those who have battled to deserve them.
"Oscar De La Hoya has taken a positive step to keep boxing within good rule and order, and Roman Karmazin, who has acted with consistency and loyalty, now has the opportunity that he deserves to become a WBC champion of the world. De La Hoya is not only one of the greatest and most popular champions of the last quarter-century, he is also a gentleman, which is what champions should be.
"The WBC is absolutely devoted to bring rule, good order, and credibility to the sport, but cannot do it alone. We need the participation of the entire boxing community for compliance with the rules. We have to give opportunities to everyone who deserves them, not only those who are selected by television, promoters, or corporations, for business or any other reason."
