Is Zarika, Mercado rematch a sour deal?

Kenya Professional Boxing Commission (KPBC) has protested to World Boxing Council (WBC) over the handling of WBC super bantamweight champion, Fatuma “Iron Fist” Zarika’s title fight.

KPBC now wants negotiations involving Zarika with clear and proper contract signed before the she can meet Mexican Yamileth "Yeimi" Mercado in a rematch bout slated for November 9, this year in Mexico.

KPBC president Reuben Ndolo said on Sunday that the contract sent to Zarika was full of errors especially on the purse she is to get yet she is being forced to sign it.

The contract availed by Zarika indicates in figures that she is to battle for $60,000 (Sh6 million) but the amount in words are $16,000 (Sh1.6 million).

"The boxer and his handlers pointed out this mistake among others and demanded a proper contract only to be met by threats and intimidations from WBC and promoters from Mexico," said Ndolo. "That amounts to harassment yet the bout's promoter in Mexico acknowledged the errors in the contract."

Ndolo was speaking at Nation Centre accompanied by Zarika, KPBC secretary general Franklin Imbenzi and Zarika’s personal assistant Sofie Zarika.

“You can’t take lightly the errors in the contract since someone can easily disown the high figures,” said Ndolo adding that they have written to WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman and WBC Women’s Championship chairman Malte Muller- Michaelis raising the issue.

“They need to treat Zarika as a world champion and not just anything. Zarika has not been paid twice with some promoters and mangers pocketing her purse. That will not happen under our eyes,” said Ndolo.

IN THE DARK

It appears that Zarika was not clear on who actually is her manager or agent with Mutua Kiswili, who promoted her two defence bouts in Nairobi and Briton Tony Bellew, distancing themselves.

However, Zarika said the correspondences from WBC and the bout promoter in Mexico, Mauricio Madero, have been coming through Kiswili and Bellew.

Zarika said Bellew was brought in by her sponsor SportPesa but claimed that he has not involved her fully in negotiations, keeping her in the dark when it comes to critical decision making.

Zarika indicated that she was to defend her title against Mexican Yamileth "Yeimi" Mercado or Zambia’s Catherine Phiri before the end of this year.

In a letter dated May 28, this year, WBC Women’s Championship chairman Malte Muller- Michaelis had ordered Mercado and Phiri must meet in a final eliminator with the winner taking on Zarika 90 days later.

Muller- Michaelis had directed Mercado-Phiri managements to start negations and sign contracts for the bout before June 28, this year.

Zarika said the aforementioned never happened only for Bellew to communicate with her on September 20 that she would face Mercado with the contract that had errors being availed 10 days later. 

GENUINE

Zarika said she received another letter last week Sulaiman warning her that she risked losing her title if she doesn’t sign the contract. “We wrote a letter to the Mexican promoter through my lawyer raising the issues. They promised to address them only to receive the same contract with the mistakes,” said Zarika. 

Zarika explained that Bellew told her verbally that in case she is to lose to Mercado, she would be granted a rematch but that was not put in writing. “These are some of the nitty-gritties that should be ironed out in the contract before the fight,” said Zarika.

Kiswili said in a telephone interview that Zarika’s complaints were genuine and that he had raised them with the promoter in Mexico. “They have promised to send a new and polished contract,” said Kiswili.

Bellew said that he secured a rematch with Mercado for Zarika’s biggest payday even though he is not her manager.

“Everything that was agreed has been given a seal of approval from the WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman and that Zarika has not been forced to sign anything,” said Bellew. “Zarika is fighting for $60,000 and if it wasn’t for me, Zarika could have been stripped off the title last week.”