Duva updates Boxingtalkers on Peter-Klitschko-Maskaev!

By G. Leon

19/02/2007

Duva updates Boxingtalkers on Peter-Klitschko-Maskaev!

GL: What's the latest with the Peter-Klitschko-Maskaev-WBC situation? "There have been more talks, meetings and discussions with all the parties and we're going to see what's going to happen. I would say we've made some progress, but we're not done yet. We haven't come to a resolution yet and I think that it will be resolved one way or the other by Tuesday. When I resolved that means, either a deal will be reached or everyone is going to have to do what they have to do regarding the WBC situation. I'm hoping to avoid litagation and I expect everything to come to a head within the next couple of days."

GL: Has the offer for Peter to step aside been sweetened any?

Dino Duva: "Not so much the terms, just the details. When you're putting terms out there that's one thing, you just need to get to the nitty gritty of the offer which is what causes things to get done or not get done. Both sides have been working in good faith to try to get something done. There's a lot of little facets of the step aside deal that need to get settle to where we're satisfied besides the step aside cash. There are other considerations that we're trying to work out and we're not there yet, but I'm cautiously hopeful this will get done."

GL: Last week I heard that other than the step aside money, Peter is being offered 50-50 for the Maskaev-Klitschko rematch?

DD: "That's correct an we've offered Klitschko the same deal if Peter fights Maskaev first. Either way you look at it it's a 50-50 deal."

GL: What are Samuel's thoughts on this?

DD: "He's very upset that this is even happening. He's very upset that the WBC hasn't totally supported him, but at the same time it's business and we're trying to work things out and do the best thing for Samuel's career. He's very upset that this is happening and we all are, we're just trying to make the best out of a bad situation."

GL: Has this situation become a matter of the Klitschko and Maskaev camps pleasing Team Peter to protect the WBC from another lawsuit?

DD: "I don't know if you can put it that way. If we're not able to make a deal and this goes to litagation, they'd be protecting their own asses as well as the WBC. Every one of them has tried to f**k with Sam's rights. Not caring or respecting Sam's rights, now they're saying let us do this and we'll pay you off. It's something we're unhappy with but at the same time this is business and we're trying to work it out. But if this isn't resolved within the next or two it will not get resolved. I think we really have to focus in the next two days to get this done, but I can't tell honestly what will happen."

GL: Tell us about Kendall Holt and Mike Arnaoutis?

DD: "Kendall will be fighting Mike Arnaoutis for the number one mandatory to Ricardo Torres. It will happen on Shobox on either April 20 or April 27. It will be somewhere in the northeast, Atlantic City. All of the details will be worked out in the next day or so and Kendall will be the mandatory challenger before the end of April. By the end of this year Kendall Holt and Samuel Peter will be on top of their respective worlds."

GL: Will Kirk Johnson return any time soon?

DD: "I'm working on a fight for him right now and he should be back by May or sometime in the spring. I want to get him one fight in before we move him quickly. He's been unlucky with injuries the last couple of years and he's not getting any younger, so he realizes that now is the time for him to make it happen."