Highly-esteemed international matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz has been designated by Golden Boy Promotions and ALA Boxing Gym top honcho Antonio “Bidoy” L. Aldeguer to hold negotiations for the IBF-ordered elimination bout between Cebuano ring star Z “The Dream” Gorres and Australia-based Armenian KO artist Vic “The Raging Bull” Darchinyan.
ALA Boxing Promotions vice president Dennis Cañete told various media outfits via e-mail that Lewkowicz will also try to work things out for the fight to be staged in the Philippines, possibly here in Cebu.
“Golden Boy Promotions and Mr. Antonio Aldeguer of ALA Boxing Gym have agreed to assign the negotiation in their behalf to respected matchmaker non-pareil Sampson Lewkowicz,” said Cañete. “All efforts will be exerted by Mr. Samson Lewkowicz to bring the elimination bout here in the Philippines,” he added.
Cañete made it clear that negotiations between both parties have not yet commenced as representatives of GBP and Gary Shaw Promotions have not even met as of yesterday.
Also, Cañete said the Gorres-Darchinyan duel will definitely not be on December 8 as speculated to be in the undercard of the WBC welterweight championship between pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
“GBP who is promoting the fight (Mayweather vs. Hatton) has already confirmed that the card is complete and no way can the Gorres-Darchinyan fight be inserted,” clarified Cañete.
IBF Championship Committee chairman Lindsey E. Tucker, Jr. has given Golden Boy and Gary Shaw Promotions only until November 8 to finalize everything. If no deal will be sealed on that day, the IBF will hold a purse bid.
If the Gorres-Darchinyan bout pushes through, the winner will earn a mandatory shot at reigning IBF super flyweight champion Dimitri Kirilov of Russia. Gorres is the reigning IBF Intercontinental jr bantamweight titlist, while Darchinyan recently won the IBO 115-pound crown.