Don King Productions, Inc. (DKP), which in years gone by, enjoyed a very close relationship with the WBC, has threatened the WBC with a lawsuit if it goes through with sanctioning Junior Makabu vs. Michal Cieslak for its vacant cruiserweight championship. Boxingtalk has obtained a cease-and-desist letter sent by DKP attorney Cornelius "Carl" Lewis.  DKP alleges it is Makabu's "world-wide promoter... and no one, other than DKP, is authorized to engage Makabu’s services."  The letter continued, "It has come to DKP’s attention that the WBC is sanctioning an unauthorized bout between DKP’s fighter Makabu and Cieslak scheduled to take place on or about January 18, 2020 or January 25, 2020 in The Democratic Republic of The Congo, without DKP’s knowledge, consent, approval or permission.

 

According to the letter: "Demand is made upon the WBC to cancel the Makabu v. Cieslak bout and to make such cancellation public by noticing said cancellation on the WBC’s website. Since the WBC sanctioned this bout without DKP’s knowledge, DKP must conclude that the WBC communicated with others to arrange this bout so demand is made upon the WBC to immediately notify the person or persons the WBC communicated with in arranging this bout and inform them that the WBC is not sanctioning the Makabu v. Cieslak bout and that the bout is immediately cancelled.

DKP further demands the WBC and others immediately cease and desist any and all actions or communications of any kind with Makabu. DKP has not and does not consent to Makabu’s participation in the Makabu v. Cieslak bout or any bout and has not and does not grant permission for anyone to engage Makabu’s services."

 

Author's note: The WBC is a sanctioning body, not a promoter and therefore it does not have the authority to cancel a bout. It can only withdraw the championship sanction. It remains to be seen if DKP will floow through with a lawsuit.