World International Boxing Association (WIBA) president Ryan Wissow has said he will not work with Esther Phiri’s international promoter but is willing to do business with the Zambian female boxer if he has 100 % control of the bill.
Wissow said in a statement that he will never do any business with Kenyan boxing promoter Caleb Kuya.
Kuya, who has promoted everyone of Esther’s last sevens title fights since 2006, also promoted Sundays fiasco in Nairobi that saw Esther beat unrated Viparat Lasuwan for the GBC female lightweight crown via a fourth round knockout.
This after the WIBA refused to sanction Esther’s bout for the vacant lightweight title against the boxer from Thailand the organization had not even rated on their charts.
Wissow said as far as the WIBA were concerned their champion at lightweight division in the female category was Melissa Hernandez of the USA.
“Like I said before, (Esther) Phiri is a good boxer, and I am willing to give her WIBA title shot, but I have no intention of working with promoter Caleb Kuya,” Wissow said.
“Twice in the past he (Kuya) contacted me, wanting me to sanction WIBA title fights on his shows, and both times I said yes.
“Time went by and I never received the sanction fees for those fights, and eventually I found out that the GBU was sanctioning the fights.
“I also found out that the GBU and WIBF were not paid sanction fees owed to them by Mr. Kuya for past title fights.
“Then for this fight. My Kuya again asked me to sanction these fights on his show this past weekend. I told him NO!, and to lose my number and email address.
“So what does he do? he used the WIBA name to promote his show and make money, without my permission or prior knowledge.
“Now he is telling people that the fight was for the GBC title and not the WIBA title, after I called his bluff.”
Meanwhile, Wissow says the battle for the vacant WIBA lightweight title fight would be held in Germany on June 5 between Rola El Halabi of Germany and Spaniard Loli Munoz.
However, Wissow said he was willing to stage a WIBA super bantamweight title fight between holder Hernandez and Esther.
“I would be more than willing to sanction a WIBA World Title fight at 130 pounds (59 Kg) between Esther Phiri and champion Melissa Hernandez, only if One: I can select all three judges and referee,” he said.
“Two: I be flown in from Miami to supervise this fight and Three: that Caleb Kuya is not involved in any way.
“If you can get the government to sponsor this REAL WIBA title fight, then I would be willing to do business in Zambia or Kenya.” Â
Meanwhile, in the midst of the unraveling development following Sundays fiasco, Esther was by press time being fated by President Rupiah Banda for lunch at State House in honor of her victory against Lasuwan.
