Shaw: "Winky never turned down $6M for De La Hoya fight, I did!"

By G. Leon

25/07/2005

Shaw: "Winky never turned down $6M for De La Hoya fight, I did!"

In an exclusive Boxingtalk TNT chat session last Thursday night, junior middleweight king "Winky Wright told Boxingtalkers that he never turned down an offer of $6M to fight Oscar De La Hoya. The next day, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer informed us that Wright turned down $6M guaranteed and $6 per buy after 600,000 PPV homes. Over the weekend Wright's representative Gary Shaw informed Boxingtalk.com, "Winky Wright never turned down that offer I did." What? Why would you turn down such an offer when it's hard to see Winky making that much anywhere else?

"First of all I think there's other fights where Winky Wright can make big money. Why did we turn it down? Because when I added up the pot, I got $28M and I didn't think it was a fair split, $6M for us and $22M for their side to split. I think Arum and Schaefer are having their problems because this is a negotiation, I was supposed to get back to Arum to renegotiate percentages and the next I know Oscar's not fighting for the rest of the year because his wife is pregnant.

"I believe they're playing games, I believe they're making it look like Oscar's still wants to fight so they can get as much as they can out of HBO. One day I think the people at HBO are going get hip to their game and put a stop to it."

Although he turned down Golden Boy's offer, which would have guaranteed Wright nearly double than what he's ever made, Shaw insisted that Team De La Hoya have no serious intentions to face Wright.

"They don't want to fight Winky, Schaefer's telling you Oscar's fighting on May 6, 2006. Ask Schaefer if we signed the SAME offer now, would they fight Winky in May and see what he tells you. I guarantee you'll hear him fumbling his words." Shaw also pointed out that Team De La Hoya was unrealisitically requesting Wright weigh-in at 150 pounds.
 
On another note: "Gary Shaw of GSP was happy to hear about the Smith family expecting thier second child. In honor of the baby, Gary wants to give $5,000 as a gift. Please have Ishe deposit the $5,000 he owes me in a trust fund for the baby, and when he gets a chance send me the balance of the money he owes me."

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