Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 17, 1993 TAG: 9309170151
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: KANSAS CITY, MO. LENGTH: Medium
Alberto Aleman, chairman of the board for the WBO, said the decision came after a unanimous vote Monday by the sanctioning body's championship committee.
Aleman, who supervised the fight in Kansas City, was one of the seven committee members to vote.
Edward Levine, chairman of the WBO championship committee, did not return phone calls made by The Associated Press. But Aleman said Levine waited until all seven members voted before announcing the decision.
The Puerto Rico-based WBO concluded Aleman went beyond the scope of his authority in making the last-minute decision to allow an out-of-shape Tomashek to replace Mike Williams, who pulled out 90 minutes before the fight.
"Under the circumstances, I said OK to the fight because there would have probably been a riot," Aleman said from his home in Panama. "Because everybody was mad, [promoter] Bob Arum came up and said he had a fellow ready to fight. I said it probably won't be considered a championship fight, but to go ahead and announce it as a championship fight.
"They [the WBO] in turn said the fight should have never been announced as a championship fight under the circumstances."
Tomashek, who was summoned from Green Bay, Wis., three days before the fight as a precaution, was at ringside when Williams walked out of Kemper Arena. Morrison scored a fourth-round technical knockout over Tomashek.
Top Rank Inc., has refused to take back the $8,750 sanction fee, thus rejecting the WBO's decision, said Greg Fritz, a spokesman for Top Rank.
"There are so many things happening in boxing today," Fritz said. "It's so self-serving and political. I'm amazed how writers can decipher what goes on.
"Truthfully, I'm not surprised. The guy at ringside was reluctant to call it. But as far as [Top Rank] is concerned, it was a WBO championship defense. That's the way it was announced. [Aleman] did not say it was a non-title fight. It was official on fight night, but three weeks later it's not official. It's bizarre."
Tony Carbajo, a spokesman for the Morrison camp, said he was unaware of the WBO's decision.
"I haven't heard a thing about it," Carbajo said. "Boxing has become so crazy."
Morrison is scheduled to meet Michael Bentt on Oct. 29 in Tulsa, Okla. Aleman said that bout will be considered Morrison's first WBO title defense.
by CNB