The WBA 'interim' flyweight title fight was postponed at the last minute yesterday after the bout’s major sponsor failed to pay the promoter.
WBA 'interim' flyweight champion Stamp Kiatniwat.
Thailand’s champion Stamp Kiatniwat was scheduled to fight Gregorio Lebron of Dominican Republic in Krabi yesterday.
Unfortunately, it was cancelled just one hour before the bout was scheduled to start when the sponsor failed to pay promoter Niwat Laosuwanwat.
“He promised to pay me even on the eve of the fight but he did not,” claimed Niwat, referring to Pongpat Kaewsrithongthada, chairman of CAT Television.
“We prepared for three months before the fight and Pongpat, as sponsor, had promised to pay two million baht. However, he did not pay even a single baht.”
“I gave him until 2pm, one hour before the fight. When he could not meet that deadline, I spoke to the officials and we decided to postpone the fight.”
“The fight will cost about four million baht and it is better to find a new sponsor.”
Niwat said he had been hosting world title fights for more than 30 years, and this was the first time he experienced such a disappointing episode.
He added if he had allowed the fight to go on, he did not believe he would have received any money from Pongpat.
Niwat said the fight was rescheduled to take place in Bangkok on Tuesday.
“Lebron's camp and all the foreign officials understand the situation,” he said.
“We will take good care of them."
The Stamp-Lebron fight will be a rematch after the Thai won via a split decision to land the interim title in Loei last year.
Meanwhile, world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is struggling for motivation and could quit boxing, the controversial fighter told the BBC.
The 27-year-old Briton, who stunned Vladimir Klitschko to claim the world heavyweight crown in November, may even hang up his gloves.
"I'm struggling to get motivated," Fury said.
"I could walk away. I could just sail into the sunset unbeaten with all the belts and live a normal life."