Video Transcription: Don King

By G. Leon

09/04/2007

Video Transcription: Don King

BT:  On April 28th at Foxwoods we know what we're going to get.  We're going to get action and excitement.  What we don't know if we're going to get is unification.  Tell us about that.  "It's going to be a fight, that will more than likely be unified.  I don't think how they can play the game of not unifying it, but this is what it is.  It's official today, we announced it on the 39th anniversary of the assasination of Dr. Martin Luther King, who was a great starboard and a apostle of peace of our society who changed the world.  An African American, of the underpriveledged, downtrodden, and denied.  That can change the social setting of the world. 

I'm so very proud and honored that I can bear witness to Martin Luther King and his birthday and to be able to announce a great struggle that is taking place in the lightweight division.  We're trying to reclaim the glory of yesteryear, to recapture the image of Julio Cesar Chavez, one of the greatest lightweights that ever lived.  Roberto"Manos de Piedra" Duran, one of the greatest lightweights that ever lived.  What you've got here is Freitas, trying to establish himself as the renowned guy that he truly is.  He's been a great fighter a four time world champion.  Now he's going to fight Juan Diaz, so it's going to be a war that we think is going to be fabulous.  We want you all to bear witness to that, because it's going to be super-sensational.

GL:  There's no question this is the biggest fight of Diaz' career against Freitas.  We've been waiting his whole career to see him in a marquee fight like this.  Should he be successful on the 28th, can we expect him to move on to bigger better things?

DK:  Absolutely, if you speak espanol, absolutamente, exacto.  We're going to be able to take this guy and let him soar, because he is the kind of guy that has the intention and fortitude.  He has the character, the commitment, the dedication and the courage not to ordinary, but to be extraordinary.  He wants to be the undisputed champion of the world.  He'll go up or down, whichever way they want to fight.  Wherever the bigger names are, that's where he wants to be.  I'm looking forward to helping him on that pilgrimage towards greatness.

GL:  Speaking of ups and downs BoxingTalk just broke the news that it's going to be Maskaev-Peter for the WBC heavyweight title.  Can you give us any clarification of the situation, and tell us why the Klitschko name is no longer in the mix?

DK:  What they did is they played a game of duplicity, treachery, and nefarious activity.  That fight should never have been contemplated.  Here's a guy that's prone to injury, he didn't lose the title in the ring.  He lost that title by his body falling apart.  Four injuries, one after the other consecutively, he decided then it was best for his health that he should not fight for the world title. He relinquished the title and walked away.  Now it's cruel and inhuman punishment to put a man like that back in the ring after a three year layoff, without him fighting or being tested to see if his fragile body could withstand the rigors of strenuous activity of training. 

This would add a black eye to boxing, and total destruction to an organization that would sanction such a cruel and inhuman situation.  So I think that now it's working itself out to be what it's supposed to be.  That he's now backing off again, still with the anticipation and the hope that he can come back in another time.   There's two flaws to both of these things.  The  heavyweight division is discombobulated.  It truely need to fight each one of these champions, so that we can find one undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.  One that the public can relate and identify with.  If we don't do that, we're all making a mockery out of the sport. 

They have a vested interest, me for my selfish and invested interest, if I've got any part of a title.  But that's ridiculous I don't think HBO wants to play this game anymore, nor do I.  They've got the fight, so it's better that Vitalli doesn't come back into the ring, because he's already stated categorically that he wouldn't fight his brother.  That would therefore be another stalling tactic.  You bring both of the Klitchkos in, then when it gets down to the nitty gritty, you aren't going to get a fight.  They forgot that Kane slew Abel, but I'm not going to go into that.  The idea of it is that we've got to deal with what is real and practical.  I think it would be a disgrace, it would be dispiccable, for the WBC to sanction a fight with this guy.  For him to just get right out there and see if he can do it.

Especially when they're the front runners, the first and foremost to be for the aid and protection of the boxers.  Ambulances at the arena, doctors at ringside, all those things are called for, reducing rounds from 15 to 12.  This all goes down the drain by putting in this man who's been injured four times consecutively that we know about, maybe six times that we don't know about.  He gave up his title, rather than go in there and fight.  Then you're going to go turn around and put him in the ring?  It's ridiculous.  Be that as it may, that should be history now, and in the form of history, we use history for a guideline to the future.  We're ready now for the Nigerian Nightmare to take on Maskaev.  We know we've got another hurdle to go with crazy Rappaport, but I love crazy Rappaport.

GL:  You took the words right out of my mouth.  Is this going to purse bid?

DK:   Yes, it's going to have to go purse bid because crazy Rappaport isn't going to do what's right.  He's totally insane.  We'll be able to deal with the insanity, so we'll make it happen.

GL:  I appreciate it DK.  Last thoughts for the BoxingTalk fans?

DK:  Whatch BoxingTalk for the news and review and what's prognosticated for the future, because on April 28th I've got to gaurantee you that fight will be better than the one following it on cinco de Mayo.  As a fight.  It won't ever hit the box office it won't get the applause and the applumb. It won't the excitement that's going to be covered everywhere in the world.  But a fight fans delight, for one who enjoys fighting, and for what it is physically that's what you're going to ssee in Juan Diaz and Acelino Freitas. 


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