British Boxing Promoter Frank Maloney Wants Moore vs. Chavez Jr
Promoter Frank Maloney is preparing to travel east and west early next month to get Jamie Moore a shot at the WBC light-middleweight title.
The Salford star (32-3) first has to come through a European light-middleweight title defence against fellow southpaw Ryan Rhodes (42-4), which doubles up as a WBC title eliminator.
Their clash at Bolton Arena on October 23 is the most eagerly awaited domestic contest of 2009.
Moore, 30, is third in the WBC rankings behind Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr and Kermit Cintron for their 154lb title held by Sergio Martinez.
Maloney will fly east to Jeju, Korea with Moore and the boxer’s manager and co-promoter Steve Wood in the first week of November to press their claims at the WBC convention.
Maloney then hopes to meet Chavez Jnr’s promoters Top Rank, when he is in Las Vegas for the November 14 showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto.
He explained: “I was very close to getting Martinez over here. A couple of months ago talks were held with his promoter Lou DiBella, but after good signs early on during negotiations, they didn’t want to come to England and face Jamie.
“The offer was fantastic and Jamie was willing to take the fight for chump change. I can’t see how Martinez had ever earned the money that was on the table.
“The WBC belt is the most prestigious in boxing and the one Jamie wants to get his hands on more than anything. When Jamie attends the WBC convention he will put his case to them and that can only help his cause.
“I’m then going west to Las Vegas where I am going to suggest to Bob Arum that Jamie fights Chavez Jnr in a final eliminator, or even a interim title.
“It will be hard to bring Chavez Jnr to England because of the TV business he does in the United States and Mexico, but I am so confident that Mooresy has his measure we would travel.
“If he doesn’t beat Rhodes though that will all become no more than a dream that is unlikely to ever happen and Jamie isn’t looking beyond Ryan even if there looks like being a pot of gold at the end of the tunnel.”
There are two British title fights on the bumper Bolton bill St Helens Gary Davies (9-2-1) risks his bantamweight title against Ian Napa (18-7).
The pair were due to clash this week, but Davies who won the crown against Matthew Edmonds in April sustained a calf injury.
Stoke warrior Chris Edwards (13-13-3) defends his British flyweight title against Oldham based Mongolian Shinny Bayaar who recently gained British citizenship
A fourth title sees Burnley star Stuart McFadyen (12-1-1) challenge Doncaster’s Jamie McDonnell (11-2-1) for the vacant English super-flyweight title.
Tickets are now on sale prices £40, £60, £80 and £125 from www.frankmaloney.com and 0871 226 1508