By Igor Lazorin, tass
According to Russian promoter Andrey Ryabinsky, the fight between heavyweight contender Alexander Ustinov (33-1, 24 KOs) and WBA interim-champion Luis Ortiz (25-0, 22 KOs) will not happen as planned.
Trouble was already brewing last week when Ustinov's manager, Vladimir Hryunov, complained that Ortiz failed to sign a bout agreement by the deadline date of September 4th. Ortiz's manager insists that they signed, but Ustinov's side was refusing to have VADA handle the random drug testing.
Hryunov secured the promotional rights to Ortiz-Ustinov, after he submitted the sole bid at the WBA's purse bid in Panama last month. Ryabinsky, who was represented at the purse bid by Hryunov, snatched the rights with a winning bid of $600,000.
The fight was being planned for October 7th in St. Petersburg, Russia - as part of a grand event to celebrate the birthday of Russian President Vladimir Putin (born on October 7).
Ortiz vs. Ustinov was ordered by the World Boxing Association as part of their tournament to establish as sole WBA champion in the division.
Ortiz vs. Ustinov was first planned for June and fell out. Then it was scheduled to be part of this Saturday's HBO Pay-Per-View undercard to Saul Alvarez-Liam Smith. The fight once again fell out after his co-promoters - Golden Boy Promotions and Dade Promotions - became involved in a business dispute. Dade was able to negotiate a deal with Golden Boy where they purchased the full promotional rights to Ortiz.
"The fight is off. Ortiz's behavior has been very odd," said Ryabinsky. "He has not signed [the bout agreement] and from what I understand he's scheduled to leave [the WBA's] ratings. Ustinov should be the mandatory for the winner of the fight between Wladimir Klitschko and Tyson Fury [taking place on October 29]."
