Don King scored a first round KO over former partner and British promoter Frank Warren. King had claimed that Warren breached their contract when he signed Naseem Hamed up with King's TV rival Home Box Office last year.That seemed to be a main part of the court's ruling. That Warren had signed a deal with HBO involving the WBO champ Hamed without King's involvement.
High Court Judge, Sir Gavin Lightman ruled that their had been a contract in place and that Warren "was in breach of the duties he owed to Don King Productions."
While King celebrated, Warren vowed to appeal. "It ain't over" said Warren. The ruling, similar to a summary judgment in the United States, ruled that King is entitled to 50 % of of the contracts of such fighters as Hamed, Joe Calzaghe, Herbie Hide, and Chris Eubank.
To lawfully sever this relationship, Warren would of had to buy out King's 50 % cut. He didn't and that's why they are where they are.
Having checked with my legal confidant in the U.K., I'm told this "summary type of judgment" is rarely overturned in England.
HBO has little to fret as they were told Hamed was a free agent and had no contractual agreement with King. It's Warren who will be holding the bag if the judgment stands.
Warren is said to be the money man behind Magic Johnson's attempt to become boxing's biggest promoter. If King's court ruling stands, I don't think Magic will ever see his promotional ambition come to fruition.
LEGAL WOES HIT TSYZU HARDER THAN PHILLIPS
In 1995, former IBF world 140 lb. champ Kostya Tsyzu left longtime promoter Bill Mordey even though Mordey had a valid contract with Kostya. A lawsuit evolved when Tsyzu decided he would fight for Sky Channel instead of Mordey's Fightvision.
And the result of the litigation has to hurt Tsyzu more than anything Vince Phillips could throw at him, as New South Wales Supreme Court Justice Russell Bainton ruled Kostya must pay Mordey $4.9 million.
Mordey's suit also charged Sky Channel, former champion Jeff Fenech, and Tsyzu's manager Vlad Warton, but the judge threw those parts of the suit out. Warton is one of those managers that lives his life through that of his client Tsyzu.
When I met Warton at the WBC Convention in November, he was so enamored with Kostya that I thought he might have a thing other than just a client-manager relationship with the former world amateur champ from Russia.
HOLYFIELD'S BROTHER WILL PROBABLY GET LIFE IN PRISON
You've heard the old saying. "You can chose your friends, but not your relatives!"
That certainly rings true in the house of current world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, as his 45 year old brother James has been convicted of rape and child molestation last week in Atlanta.
This is not the first time James Holyfield had been in trouble for Sex Crimes. He was arrested in 1987, and then acquitted on Rape charges. In 1989, he was again indicted for rape. But the charges were later dropped.
In 1991, came a third indictment for rape and James spent a year in jail before pleading guilty to statutory rape involving a 12 year old.
Holyfield was not given any jail time for the 1992 guilty plea and was released. This last act occurred November 12, 1995, and involved a female under the age of 16.
Sentencing will be on April 17.
NEW RECORD SET IN TEXAS
A fortnight ago on a card in the Houston area by Bob Spagnola, the Guinnes Book of World records for total poundage in a boxing ring was broken when Carl Chancellor and "Giant" James Gaines' combined to weigh 735 lbs. This eclipses the old mark of 699 lbs. set by the late promoter Pat O'Grady of Oklahoma City in the 70's.
Pedro Fernandez
The writer has his own site at www.fighters.com He values your input and can be reached at flash@inow.com
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