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Boxing

Updated: November 8, 2006, 3.45 PM ET

IBO to stage series of
world title cards in early '07

By Larry Holman
ESPN.com
Archive

The birth of the International Boxing Organisation is still some eight weeks away but that hasn't stopped the man who will be its first president, Robert Tattaglia, from releasing a statement in regards to its short-term plans. Tattaglia announced yesterday that the IBO is going to make the task of crowning their inaugural world champions short and sweet, with a series of fight cards through the early months of 2007 to resolve the issue. As most boxing fans would already be aware the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organisation have entered into a merger where they will both be abolished on the 31st of December 2006 and replaced by the IBO effective from the 1st of January 2007.

However, there are still six world championship bouts under either the WBO or IBF banner that will be contested between now and the merger, with those fights taking on greater significance due to the fact that the winners will automatically be involved in the matchups that determine the new IBO champions. The most anticipated of those six upcoming fights is the IBF lightweight clash between Mexico's former WBA/WBC champion Patricio Marquez and New Orleans native and defending champion Joe Brown on November 25. Many observers are of the opinion that it will be the fight of the year. The evening's co-feature will be just as important, if not as high profile. Former WBA lightweight king Francisco Ortiz takes on former WBO junior-lightweight champion Benny Diaz for the vacant WBO lightweight title. The winners of both bouts will square off in March for the inaugural IBO championship.

Back in action for the first time since June, IBF flyweight titlist Teko Davids of South Africa gives compatriot John Bekker a shot at glory on November 18 in front of what is expected to be a big crowd in Johannesburg. December sees a pair of rematches for IBF straps with German heavyweight champion Marko Friedrich stepping in the ring against Russia's Igor Berezutskiy on the 2nd in a reprise of their entertaining May 27 clash while Mexican featherweight Francisco Rivas puts the title he surprisingly won against Miami's Antonio Hawkins in July on the line one week later. Filipino WBO bantamweight champ Ricardo Bedic will return from a layoff of almost ten months to defend the title in his homeland on December 23. Three of the six title bouts involve Tattaglia fighters and he'll be personally promoting each contest.

In addition to the details regarding IBO title fights Tattaglia also spoke about the new organisation's structure, reiterating that they'll be following the lead of the IBL and signing boxers to contracts where they'll only be able to fight against other IBO-contracted competitors. Tattaglia dismissed the possibility of resuming a business relationship with the WBA and WBC, saying both of those bodies had already "burnt that bridge" with the stance they took during the Michael Jacobs saga. He did not rule out pursuing some sort of partnership or agreement with the IBL but was "deeply doubtful" that James Molk's organisation would be "receptive to the idea".

"I know they've been great for the sport," Tattaglia said. "But let's not be naive here. Their goal is to eventually be the only organisation running boxing so they're not going to do anything that improves the future outlook for the rest of us. I'll admit if I was in the same position, neither would I. We just have to work as hard as possible to bring boxing back to where it should be and I believe that the IBO is really going to make a big contribution towards achieving that goal."

Larry Holman is ESPN.com's boxing writer.