Duva speaks on Maskaev-Peter, Torres-Holt and more

By G. Leon

29/05/2007

Duva speaks on Maskaev-Peter, Torres-Holt and more

GL:  I haven't had you on the record since you won the purse bid for the Maskaev-Peter fight, give us your thoughts on that. "I'm obviously happy and very excited that Duva Boxing won the purse bid.  It was an important thing for us to be able to try  to win the gig and promote the fight.  It's nice to be able to promote a fight that's for the heavyweight title." 

GL:  When can we expect this fight to take place?  I spoke with Ivalo yesterday he said September 29th, on Showtime.  What's the deal?

DD:  It's going to happen in September on the 29th.  That's the only TV date we have, and that's on Showtime.  They're holding that date for us, so that's the most likely date.  The only thing I haven't been able to close is the fight gear.  Once we get the fight gear down, everything else will fall into place.  We're going to get rolling and announce it. 

GL:  Do you have any sites that are finalists for the fight?

DD:  It could be anywhere.  I don't know if I can say, but there are four locations right now, in all parts of the world, that are seriously interested in doing the fight.  I'll find out by next week, I'm going to sort it all out, figure where the best place to go is.  It will get done by next week.  Everything will be confirmed, and it will be on.

GL:  What are the chances that the fight takes place outside of America?

DD:  50/50.  There's a good chance it will be outside of the country.  There are a few places we are talking to.  I don't know how good the deal will be, or what kind of deal can be made.  There is a 50/50 shot the fight will be overseas.

GL:  What's up with Kendall Holt?  When will his mandatory be enforced?

DD:  It is enforced, we're in the negotiation period right now.   I've spoken with Top Rank several times in the last couple of weeks, and we're still negotiating.  If we're not able to make a deal, in about the next week or ten days, we'll have a purse bid.  The purse bid will happen around the second week of June, or the third week. 

GL:  Will that fight take place prior to Peter-Moskaev?

DD:  Yeah, definitely.  My guess is the whole thing will happen sometime in August, or early September. 

GL:  What else is shaking?  Is Curt Johnson ever coming back? 

DD:  Curt wants to fight.  He's been calling me, telling me he's ready to fight.  I'm looking around for some possible dates, to get him back in the action.  Curt just had a horrible time for the last couple of years of his career.  He had injuries, his knee, shoulder, whatever.  We're looking to get him one get back in the ring fight, in the next month.  After that we'll see who's available to fight, because I still think he can beat any haevyweight that's out there. 

GL:  Until you get the venue, we'll wrap this one short.  Give us some closing thoughts for the fans.

DD:  Ibragimov and ? are superstars we have at Duva Boxing.  Sam Peter and Kendall Holt, within a month or so of each other the two are going to be fighting for world titles.  It's going to be a big summer and a big fall.

GL:  Duva Boxing is ending this year with a bang.

DD:  I hope so.  

GL:  That's what we're doing, and we know so. 

M

Send questions and comments to: gleon@boxingtalk.com