WARRIORS REPONDS TO KING

Seminole Warriors Boxing responded strongly Friday to recent comments made by Don King regarding the upcoming rematch between IBF cruiserweight champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk and challenger Steve Cunningham.

King had demanded that Wlodarczyk’s native Poland be excluded from the list of possible sites for the bout.

“This is a disgraceful move by Mr. King and a slap in the face to the great people and diehard fight fans of Poland,” said Sampson Lewkowicz, the advisor to Wlodarczyk.

“I spoke to IBF President Marian Muhammad and she unequivocally stated that as long as there are no National security risks or safety issues regarding her officials that she would have no issue with sanctioning this fight in Poland.”

On November 25, 2006, Wlodarczyk scored a 12 round split decision over Cunningham in Warsaw to win the vacant IBF crown. The only judge voting for Cunningham was American Charles Dwyer. He was outvoted by German judge Wallfried Rollert and Polish judge Wlodzmierz Kromka. A purse bid for the IBF mandated rematch will be held on Tuesday, March 6th. The purse bid for the first bout was won by Seminole Warriors boxing with a winning number of $231,100. King’s bid was $106,000.

“We have great faith in the IBF and their officials and we are sure both fighters will get a fair shake wherever this bout is held,” said Lewkowicz. “Unfortunately, Mr. King’s grandstanding doesn’t match his willingness to open his wallet, otherwise he would bid enough to win the purse bid and stage the fight wherever he wants to. As for us, we are more than happy to return to Poland, where a packed house will be waiting to welcome back the new champion for his first title defense.”