08.01.07 - By Michael Marley, Boxingconfidential.com: WBC President Jose Sulaiman is being heavily lobbied by powerful Russian politicians and business leaders to green light a WBC-IBF heavyweight title unification for Moscow on April 21. Boxingconfidential.com has learned exclusively that one of those writing to Sulaiman to express support for a unifier between WBC champion Oleg Maksaev and IBF king Wladimir Klitschko is the city's popular mayor, Yuri Luzkhov.
Mayor of Moscow since 1992, Luzkhov is totally behind Maskaev promoter Dennis "Rapstar" Rappaport's application to the world boxing governing body to allow Maskaev and Klitschko to fight, probably in the Olympiske Stadium where ticket prices will range from $5,000 at ringside to about $35 for the Bob Uecker binocular section..
"We are on the same wavelength with Klitschko's guys, Bernd Bonte and Shelly Finkel," Rappaport told me. "Boxing needs this. This is a huge event, a crossover fight, a big attraction and it will give boxing and, in particular, the sagging heavyweight division a much needed lift.
"I have already signed a contract for a venue. We have an understanding with Shelly and Bernd, an agreement in principle to make this super fight a reality. Oleg is huge in Russia and Klitschko is big, very big. Oleg's title defense (against Peter Okhello) in Moscow sold tickets faster than a Madonna concert over there did.
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What say you, Don Jose Sulaiman?
http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=9454&more=1
Mayor of Moscow since 1992, Luzkhov is totally behind Maskaev promoter Dennis "Rapstar" Rappaport's application to the world boxing governing body to allow Maskaev and Klitschko to fight, probably in the Olympiske Stadium where ticket prices will range from $5,000 at ringside to about $35 for the Bob Uecker binocular section..
"We are on the same wavelength with Klitschko's guys, Bernd Bonte and Shelly Finkel," Rappaport told me. "Boxing needs this. This is a huge event, a crossover fight, a big attraction and it will give boxing and, in particular, the sagging heavyweight division a much needed lift.
"I have already signed a contract for a venue. We have an understanding with Shelly and Bernd, an agreement in principle to make this super fight a reality. Oleg is huge in Russia and Klitschko is big, very big. Oleg's title defense (against Peter Okhello) in Moscow sold tickets faster than a Madonna concert over there did.
......
What say you, Don Jose Sulaiman?
http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=9454&more=1