Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Ruiz's WBA title defense vs. Toney goes to purse bid

Challenger seeks even split of prize money

By KEVIN IOLE
REVIEW-JOURNAL

The WBA heavyweight championship bout between Las Vegan John Ruiz and challenger James Toney is headed to a purse bid, with Toney promoter Dan Goossen taking the unusual step of requesting a 50-50 split.

Under WBA rules, when promoters representing a champion and his challenger cannot reach contract terms, the sanctioning body orders a purse bid in which anyone can submit a confidential bid to promote the fight. The highest bid gets the right to promote the bout, with the champion receiving 75 percent of the money and the challenger 25 percent.

For that reason, challengers are almost always better off negotiating a deal.

But Goossen said Tuesday he will ask the WBA to order a 50-50 split rather than the standard 75-25. He said he hopes the bout is staged in April or May.

"We'll ask for this modification in conjunction with their rules, so there is a more reasonable, fairer split," Goossen said. "James clearly is the draw here. He's the attraction, and we just hope to make the split recognize that."

It won't happen, though, if promoter Don King has his way. He flatly rejected the idea and welcomed the prospect of a purse bid. He said Toney, a one-time middleweight champion who has fought only twice at heavyweight, has little appeal and less leverage.

King said "that ain't gonna happen," of Goossen's proposed split and that Toney lost much of the momentum he had after he defeated Evander Holyfield on Oct. 4, 2003.

Since, he has suffered an Achilles' heel injury and a torn biceps and has fought only once, against little-known Rydell Booker.

"James Toney was hot when he knocked out Holyfield, but he's lost his luster," King said."The guy is always hurt. He only fought a guy who Goossen had to scrape around to find so they could paste him into the No. 1 position, and he got hurt in that fight.

"He was supposed to fight Jameel McCline and he got hurt. I like James, but he can't stay healthy."

Goossen said he thought it was worth the gamble going to the purse bid, even though he's aware the WBA may refuse to grant the exception and order a 75-25 split in Ruiz's favor.

Goossen said he will make an aggressive bid to have his Goossen-Tutor Promotions promote the fight, but if King or another promoter outbids him, it will only increase the amount Toney makes.

"We didn't do this not to be aggressive bidders," Goossen said. "I'm in this to be the promoter of the fight. But if Don or somebody else wins the purse bid, I know that they're going to have to step up and make an attractive bid, and that just increases the significance of the fight."