Thanks To Finkel,

Written By William Trillo
Foto Folly: Bret "The Threat" Newton
 

Shelly Finkel has single handedly taken a promotion that could be one of the biggest Heavyweight fights of the year in Wladimir Klitschko vs. Shannon Briggs, and turned it into a Merry-Go-Round ride that apparently is not done yet.

 

From weeks that turned into months, Shelly has been promising that negotiations for the battle of behemoths was going smooth and it was very close to being done.

 

Boxing2006/Pound4Pound.com has found out that Briggs just received a 50 page contract last week, and after making some corrections and retuning the "novel", Finkel has not given the nod one way or the other.

 

In the meantime, Oleg Maskaeav beat Hasim Rahman to take the WBC title and the usually very low profile Finkel took the podium after the belt changed hands, and in front of a full house of media Shelly answered the question, "Who is Klitschko fighting next" by exclaiming, “You'll know that next week when it’s announced. We've made other plans already."

 

We've made other plans already? 

 

This is the first time we have seen Shelly take it upon himself to be the public voice of reason for the Klitschko's, so if they happen to take offense, who can blame him?

 

Now were finding out that Finkel is throwing millions of dollars in Oleg's face to take a fight with Wladimir to unify the belts. Trouble is, 3 million ain't enough to lure Maskaev into the November 4th bout. Especially considering the fact that he came out of the Rahman fight much worse for wear. Shelly tried to play hardball with Maskaev's Manager Dennis Rappaport by giving him a mid-week deadline, but since it is common knowledge Shelly is set to go on a cruise, the deadline rang very hollow. Throw in the fact that Rappaport has waited since the 80's ( revisit Gerry Cooney) to get his hands on a Heavyweight belt, and it's obvious there is no way he was going to become Finkel's all day sucker.

 

So, as we sit today, Finkel is on an ocean cruise, his own fighter is probably not very unhappy with him, the fighter he promised 2 months ago that the November 4th date is his, thinks he is a skunk, yet through all that, chances are this deal is still a cruise away from being finalized.

 

Finkel saw his brass ring in Maskaev but when he reached out to grab him it looks like the ring was pulled out of his grasp.

 

Call me crazy, but now that the Heavyweight Belts are in the possessions of Europeans, doesn't that make the Klitschko vs. Briggs all the more intriguing? Wouldn't the public buy into this battle that literally spans the Globe?

 

Europeans holding all 4 Heavyweight belts. Their American management hoping to pull a bait and switch on an already promised deal. Somewhere Don King must be sitting back and laughing at this mess, muttering his goofy catch phrase, "Only in America!" Which for once fits the situation perfectly. 


Questions or Comments? Please Contact Will "The Thrill" Trillo