~II ...... rUUIILClJUl1 IJAll! IIU)INt)) KtVltW MU I'J U A Y, AUlJU 'l 1 LU , l U I L aallYDUSlOessreVleW.com It.)

FROM THE COURTS sues rival, boxer over rights to cable TV deal

by Steve Plunkett splunkett@alm,com SUPER C1I ~ . J_ANTAMWEIGHTS =ontheweb A promoter Read the complaint on • Ciuillermo Ri90nd"~x is picking a legal fight with Top DailyBusines5 Review.com . Rank Inc., claiming a much HesideOj:e: ~iami larger, -based rival Age: 31 ignored its "exclusive" rights to Height: 5-foot-4% Circuit Court to enforce and ex­ HecQrd: 10-0 kl1ockguts) arrange champion Guillermo (8- tend an injunction that keeps Rigondeaux's bouts and signed · the boxer from having any oth­ him to a Sept. 15 pay-per-view Hesidence: er manager. match on HBO. Age. : 2~ Under Hyde's oversight, In a lawsuit filed Aug. 16 Height: 5-foot-a Rigondeaux rose from No. 7 in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, Record: 22-1 (15 ) in his weight division to No. I, Caribe Promotions Inc. claims Source: BoxRec.com triggering an extension of the "wrongfully and in­ management agreement, said tentionally" excluded the com­ the complaint filed by William J. pany from its negotiations with Brown of WiUiam J. Brown PA. Rigondeaux, the World Boxing to arrange all his professional in Miami. Association's super bantam­ bouts, according to the com­ "Rigondeaux, however, has weight titlehold­ plaint, which alleges breach of recently refused to acknowl­ er. Caribe seeks contract by the fighter and tor­ edge the automatic two-year an injunction to tious interference by Top Rank. extension of the term of the stop the fight, The contract had a three-year agreement and refuses to con­ said its attorney, term with an automatic three­ tact or cooperate with Hyde," Jared Lopez of year renewal. the complaint said. Black, Srebnick, In 2010, Caribe, Top Rank Rigondeaux's lawyer, Guy Kornspan and Rigondeaux reached a co­ Spiegelman of Miami, said the & Stumpf in promotional agreement, the boxer will "vigorously" contest Nliami. lopez suit said. After the pact expired the injunction request. Lopez called in July, Top Rank started nego­ "The case has long been Rigondeaux's scheduled op­ tiations with the fighter for a JULIE JACOBSONfTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS closed," said Spiegelman, who ponent, Roberto Marroquin, a long-term contract. A Miami boxing promoter is suing big-name rival Top Rank after being filed a motion to strike the com­ "lesser" boxer. Lopez said Rigondeaux was excluded from negotiations with super titleholder plaint. "If Mr. Rigondeaux loses the promised a purse of $175,000 for an HBD pay-per-view deal. The motion is set for a hear­ fight, his value going forward for the Marroquin bout but ingTuesday before Circuit Judge will be greatly diminished," fears the boxer, also known as "Top Rank founder and CEO he is a lawyer said Top Rank David Miller, Spiegelman said. Lopez said. "El Chacal" or "The Jackal," was "was one of the first had no comment on the lawsuit. The Rigondeaux -Marroquin Rigondeaux, a two-time not told about other promot­ promoters to harness the pow­ He declined to identify himself. bout is on the undercard head­ Olympic gold-medal cham­ ers' long-term interest in him. er of closed-circuit and pay-per­ lined by cham­ pion who defected from -based Golden Boy view models of selling televised MANAGEMENT BEEF pion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. v. in 2009, signed a contract the Promotions Inc. and other firms fights," the company's website Separately, Rigondeaux's Sergio Martinez. same year giving Caribe "sole, "were offering deals well in ex­ said. A man at the promoter's Irish-based manager, Gary Steve Plunkett can be reached at worldwide and exclusive rights" cess of $1 million," Lopez said. headquarters who said Hyde, on Aug. 10 asked the (305) 347-6648.