Camacho Jr. Turns Down Sharmba Showtime Showdown
23.11 - It is a great time for boxing in the junior welterweight division with the top-rated contenders fighting each other. Well...almost all the top-rated contenders.
On the eve of the Arturo Gatti - Mickey Ward rematch, and on the heels of the Sharmba Mitchell's decisive victory over Vince Phillips, the only man to be defeat world champion Kostya Tszyu, comes the news that Hector Camacho, Jr., who is fighting in a welterweight bout tonight against Freddy Ladd, (who has lost his last eight bouts - half by TKO), has turned down an opportunity to fight Mitchell on a January 25, 2003 card that would be televised by SHOWTIME.
"It is incomprehensible," said Gary Shaw, whose company Gary Shaw Productions, promoted the Mitchell-Phillips fight on SHOWTIME, and is promoting the January 25 event. "Gatti and Ward are rated No. 3 and No. 4 by the IBF, respectively, fighting a much anticipated rematch. Former world champions Mitchell and Phillips, who were rated No. 2 and No. 7 by the WBA, respectively, fought each other with no qualms. These are fighters the fans love because they accept the tough fights. They accept the risks. I offered Cedric Kushner, Camacho Jr's promoter, the same opportunity. A nationally televised fight against Mitchell on SHOWTIME, where a victory would propel Hector back into the championship picture. I never even received a counter-offer."
Mitchell, who won a 10-round decision over Phillips, November 9, put it more simply. "Camacho is overweight and overrated. He is fighting as welterweight tonight against Freddy Ladd, who has not seen a victory in four years. Hector should not be rated No. 10, he should be rated 4-F."
According to the website BoxRec.Com, Ladd's last victory was a 10-round decision over Ismail Tillis, 1-13-1, January 6, 1998.
