DKP threatens to pull plug on Klitschko-Austin

09/03/2007

DKP threatens to pull plug on Klitschko-Austin

Would DKP & Austin really walk away from a HW title shot?

Edited Press Release: Heavyweight title shots are hard to come by, especially for guys like Ray Austin, who has labored for years on undercards. On the eve of Austin's IBF heavyweight title challenge against Wladimir Klitschko, scheduled for Saturday at the SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany, Austin's promoter is now threatening to walk away from the opportunity over a glove dispute. Austin wants to wear Reyes gloves, which have the reputation of increasing the likelihood of a knockout, but according to Austin's promoter Don King, the local commission is refusing to honor the parties' agreement to let Austin wear Reyes. A DKP press release just issued states, "when the contract for the match was being finalized in January, Klitschko said he preferred Grant gloves and Austin said his preference was to use Reyes gloves. In order to expedite the signing of the contract, the parties agreed Klitschko and Austin would mutually agree upon the gloves Austin would use. Team Klitschko never brought up the glove issue again until today when, at the rules meeting, held after the weigh in, they announced for the first time they had selected a different local commission to oversee this fight rather than the local commission they chose [when Klitschko defeated Chris Byrd]."  Again, according to King, "Team Klitschko also revealed for the first time today that the new commission will not allow Austin to wear the gloves of his choice, circumventing the 'to be agreed on' clause that had been added to the contract.  This is also in complete contravention of the over-arching concept of impartiality and fair play that was the genesis of the agreement." King says he offered a coin toss to solve the dispute whereby if Austin won the toss he could use Reyes gloves and if Klitschko were to win the toss, Austin would have to use Grant gloves.  Team Klitschko rejected King’s offer. Klitschko (47-3-0, 42 KOs) weighed in at 246 ½ pounds and Austin (24-3-4, 16 KOs) weighed in at 247 pounds.