Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer has reiterated his warning to Top Rank Promoter Bob Arum to lay off former WBC super featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera because Barrera “still has a promotional contract with Golden Boy.”
Schaefer told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today in an overseas telephone conversation that Barrera had denied claims by Arum that he had left Oscar De La Hoya’s promotional outfit and was on his own and wanted a rematch with Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao.
Schaefer alleged that Arum was “once again trying to steal one of our fighters just like he did with Pacquiao.”
The Golden Boy CEO who is bitter over comments by Arum claiming that Schaefer who is Swiss was a Nazi banker said that Barrera himself had confirmed he is still with Golden Boy Promotions in an interview with a Mexican newspaper and that if Arum tried to interfere with Barrera he should be ready to face another legal suit.
Arum said on arrival in Manila Thursday morning that Barrera “wants to fight Pacquiao and he says he’s a free agent.” But Schaefer insisted Barrera is under contract with Golden Boy Promotions and if Arum interferes with that relationship he is certain to face another legal battle. In fact Schaefer said they were discussing a rematch between Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez on September 15. Marquez won the super featherweight title from Barrera last March 17.
Meantime, Schaefer disclosed that depositions of Pacquiao, Arum and several others would be taken by Golden Boy lawyers in connection with the “tortuous interference” suit filed earlier against Top Rank for signing up Pacquiao to a four year contract some two months after Pacquiao signed a seven-fight contract with Golden Boy. He said the depositions should hopefully be completed by June and then the trial would begin.
However, Arum wants to end the litigation claiming that it was “insane” and was effectively “burning up millions of dollars” in legal fees and other costs and was hoping that they could sit down sometime later this month to try and resolve the Pacquiao issue and other issues currently under litigation.
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