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Cohen: "Rahman
Fighting Povetkin Next. Nobody Else."
Responding to news of a supposed showdown between WBA
Champion Alexander Povetkin and WBO Cruiserweight Champion
Marco Huck scheduled for February 25, Greg Cohen, promoter
of former unified heavyweight champion and current WBA #1
contender and mandatory challenger Hasim Rahman, wishes to
remind representatives of Povetkin and Huck (and anyone else
who claims to be fighting Povetkin next), that Hasim Rahman
will be Povetkin's next opponent.
"Rahman is Povetkin's mandatory. Povetkin already had an
optional defense against Cedric Boswell." explained Cohen.
"I have the letter from the WBA. Povetkin has until February
27 to fight against Rahman. The only way they could fight
Marco Huck is if we stepped aside and we're NOT stepping
aside."
The letter, from Gilberto Jesus Mendoza, Executive Vice
President of the World Boxing Association, clearly states
that "...According to rule 13 title matches are limited to a
sixty-day period expiration date starting from December 27,
2011 in which the World Champion or official contender are
forbid (sic) to participate in a different bout. The first
30 days would be considered as the free negotiation period."
Cohen says he doesn't know who is behind the stories and
releases being put out to the contrary, but there is no
doubt about what will happen on Team Rahman's end. "There
have been several erroneous reports about Hasim fighting
someone else or of someone else fighting Alexander Povetkin.
We wish to state for the record that Hasim Rahman fully
intends to enforce his mandatory status and face Alexander
Povetkin early next year.
The letter from the WBA is below:
October7,2011
Mr. ALEXANDER POVETKIN
WBA HEAVYWEIGHTWorld Champion
(contact info removed)
Dear Champion:
Please take notice, that pursuant to championship rule 12
you must defend the title against the official contender one
hundred and eighty days (180) from the date you became the
champion.
Since you won the championship on August 27, 2011 the next
obligatory championship bout will be due on February 27,
2012, and shall box against the highest available contender
Hasim Rahman.
Also we must notify that according to rule 13 title matches
are limited to a sixty-day period expiration date starting
from December 27, 2011 in which the World Champion or
official contender are forbid to participate in a different
bout. The first 30 days would be considered as the free
negotiation period.
If no agreement is reached within the time indicated a purse
bid will be called.
Yours truly,
Gilberto Jesus Mendoza
Executive Vice-President
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