Dear Vitali,

Let’s stop the nonsense. When I fought you for the CSCA (Centrum Sports Club Army) Military Championship, I stopped you in the 1st round. You were badly hurt and your corner threw in the towel. Stop making excuses, stop lying and be a man and admit it. That was our 1st fight.

I became Heavyweight Champion in August ‘06 and made my 1st defense in December ’06 in Moscow before a sellout crowd in the 1st Heavyweight Championship bout in the history of Moscow. Your people contacted my promoter, Dennis Rappaport, and said that the WBC had designated you Champion Emeritus; and as such you had the right to immediately face me for the Heavyweight Championship. I agreed to fight you despite the fact that you were inactive for about 4 years and that you cancelled your last 4 fights due to injury. After months of negotiations surrounding the controversy as to who had the 1st right to fight for the Championship, Samuel Peter or you, I stood firm and supported your position. In return for my loyalty, you and your people started double-talking and procrastinating. On or about April ’07 HBO became disgusted and gave us a deadline for the contract to be signed. I signed the contract and was told that my promoter would receive your executed contract the next day. Vitali, your contract never was signed and you gave some ridiculous excuse that you wouldn’t have enough time to train. What were you doing for 4 months, getting a suntan and not training? I had very serious surgery for my elbow, due to injuries I suffered in my fight Dec. ’06. I went for rehabilitation after the surgery and was still ready to fight.

You claim that you shouldn’t have to fight 2 successive mandatories, but that’s exactly what the WBC had ordered me to do. You never complained or suggested that it was unfair or the WBC didn’t have the right. Of course not! It benefited you Vitali. Life is a two way street, there aren’t 2 sets of rules, one for you and one for everyone else.

You say you want to fight Arreola, Haye, or Dimentrinko, I don’t blame you….none of them have ever beaten a top ten contender.

Remember the words of Joe Louis, ‘you can run but you can’t hide’. For whatever the reason you have done everything humanly possible to avoid fighting me. I don’t know if it is psychological or what. Sometimes a fighter has another fighter’s number…like Mosely had DeLaHoya’s and Forrest had Mosely’s. These fighters won in the amateurs and also scored and won big upsets in the pros. Vitali, I know how to beat you. I stopped you in the amateurs and I’ll stop you whenever you have the courage to face me in the ring.

Prior to my fighting Peter I suffered a devastating back injury, the 1st in my professional career, I knew that if I had to postpone the Peter fight again, my title would have been stripped from me. There were strange and bizarre circumstances, surrounding the Peter fight, perhaps even bordering on the criminal. The truth of which will eventually come out. Suffice it to say that the real Oleg Maskaev was not in the ring that night. Today I am 100% healthy….and a 100% healthy Oleg Maskaev is a dangerous man. I respect you as a sportsman, so do whatever you choose; go to mediation, go to court, say your prayers, but remember if you defeat Gomez, you can’t fight anyone before you fight me. Vitali, stop the whining and let’s start fighting. I’ll fight you in Russia, in the U.S., or even in your own backyard. Let’s get it on.

Oleg Maskaev

Glen Johnson, co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment, to re-match Daniel Judah tonight

Former light heavyweight champion Glen “The Road Warrior” Johnson will get his chance to settle the score with Daniel Judah tonight on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida.

Johnson and Judah’s first fight had ended in a controversial draw in 2003. Johnson is on a mission to avenge all the wrongs done to him in boxing, and beating Judah tonight would be the perfect start.

The event is being presented by Seminole Warriors Boxing. Johnson is co-promoted by Seminole Warriors and by Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment.

“I want to congratulate Seminole Warriors Boxing on putting together this great show,” said Lou DiBella. “It will be an entertaining night for fans that attend or watch on ESPN2.”

“I also want to wish our “Road Warrior” the best of luck,” said DiBella. “He will settle the score with Judah tonight. After tonight, it will be clear the time has come for Glen to get that Showtime or HBO opportunity he so deserves.”

For more information on tickets, call 305-350-5885 or 954-523-3309. The opening bell is at 7:30 at the Hard Rock Live Arena, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood, Florida.

BRINKLEY/GILBERT “CIVIL WAR” HITS THE AIRWAVES NEXT WEEK

“HOMETOWN HEROES” THRILL HUGE CROWD IN RENO

The long awaited showdown between Northern Nevada arch rivals Jesse Brinkley and Joey Gilbert lived up to it’s billing of “CIVIL WAR”, as a packed house of over 7,000 fight fans stood “loud and proud” for their Northern Nevada favorites on Saturday, February 14th.

With blood being drawn early, the super middleweight battle quickly turned into an outstanding war with each fighter bravely soldiering on to the final twelve round bell in a ring covered in the sweat and blood of the two warriors.

Presented by Reno ‘s “Let’s Get It On” Promotions and Las Vegas based TKO BOXING Promotions, “CIVIL WAR” will be broadcast starting next week as fight fans across North America can see the long awaited grudge match between these two super middleweights.

“The atmosphere in Reno was terrific, fans were chanting both fighters’ names from the time they entered the building right up through the final bell. These are the types of events were creating all over the country, huge crowds passionately cheering on the local favorites. We’ve done it in Reno , Vegas, Austin , Cincinnati , Baltimore and York , PA. ” said Chet Koerner, President of TKO BOXING Promotions.

“We’ve got plenty more of “HOMETOWN HEROES” events that we’ll be announcing soon in different markets. Fight fans all over the country are turning out in record numbers in every city and they want to see great fights featuring their local heroes and that’s what we’re going to give them.”

See the fight which finally settled the four year long animosity started when both Brinkley and Gilbert were featured on The Contender, Season One.

The action packed two hour broadcast from the Reno Events Center will also include outstanding undercard action featuring the terrific co-main event between featherweights Rafael Valenzuela and Yogli Herrera. The action was called by Ring Magazine’s Doug Fischer along with Steve Munisteri. Former world champion and winner of The Contender, Season One, Sergio Mora also assisted with the broadcast of the main event.

Detailed below are listings across the country with additional viewing information to follow. Fight fans are encouraged to check local listings for additional broadcasts in these markets.

Channel/Markets Served

Date

Time

Sun Sports/Florida

Monday, March 2, 2009

9pm

Comcast Sports Southeast

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

9pm

( Atlanta , Miami , Nashville , Knoxville ,

Memphis)

Comcast Sports California

Thursday, March 5, 2009

8pm

Fresno, Sacramento

KOLO-TV– Reno

Friday, March 6, 2009

8pm

TWC Sportsnet

Sunday, March 8, 2009

12pm

Buffalo

Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area

Monday, March 9, 2009

7pm

San Francisco/Oakland

Comcast Sportsnet Chicago

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

8pm

TWC Sportsnet

Wed. March 11, 2009

5pm

Rochester, NY

MASN

Saturday, March 14, 2009

8pm

Washington DC , Baltimore , Richmond

Reno, Nevada based “Let’s Get It On” Promotions was founded in 2000 by legendary boxing referee Mills Lane . In early 2005 he was joined by sons Terry and Tommy in the operations of the company. Along with super middleweight contender Jesse Brinkley, “Let’s Get It On” Promotions also promotes lightweight prospect Bayan Jargal and highly regarded brothers Tyler and Derek Hinkey. They have consistently promoted world class boxing events on a national basis.

Further information on “Let’s Get It On” Promotions can be viewed at www.letsgetitonboxing.com

Formed in early 2008, Chet Koerner’s Las Vegas based TKO BOXING Promotions stable includes; heavyweight Lenroy Thomas, super middleweight Joey Gilbert, middleweights Elvin Ayala, Albert Onolunose and James Countryman, junior middleweights Bastie Samir and Anthony Thompson, welterweight Juan Buendia and Raul Tovar, junior welterweights Jonathan Gover, Francisco Contreras and Hastings Bwayla, lightweights Rolando Reyes and Terrance Crawford, featherweights Matt Remillard, Carney Bowman, Delvin Plascencia, Rafael Lora and Maxwell Awaku, super bantamweights Rafael Valenzuela and Carlos Reyes.

Further information on TKO Boxing Promotions can be viewed at www.tkoboxingpromotions.com