Killa feels KO’d by $6k purse

Charles ‘Killa’ Whittaker is fuming that in the biggest contest of his long roller coaster career he is getting a derisory $6,000 against an opponent just as highly ranked as him who also has the advantage of fighting in his hometown.

Whittaker tops the bill against Gabriel Rosado at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on 21 September on a televised NBC show.

Despite being the United States Boxing Association junior-middleweight champion and headlining the show, Whittaker, who is also No.2 ranked in the IBF ratings, feels aggrieved at the low purse against the No.3 ranked fighter in a bout for the No.1 spot and a chance to fight world champion Cornelius Bundrage.

Whittaker, 38, has admirably got his high ranking without being attached to a major promoter, unlike Rosado who is promoted by Main Events.

Teamed with long-time manager Raul Alvarez, Killa has so far in his 19-year career managed to stay independent in a notoriously difficult sport, but had to pay the price for that independence.

Typical of promoters, Main Events have exercised their power and offered Killa the low sum. Main Events matchmaker Russell Peltz initially extended a $15,000 offer to Whittaker but when Alvarez did the right thing as a manager and tried to negotiate with Peltz he did not respond to emails and phone calls, so Killa had to settle for the lower offer.

Whittaker’s situation has been highlighted by ESPN.com’s celebrated boxing writer Dan Rafael and also Robert Ecksel of Boxing.com who wrote: “Charles Whittaker is an honourable man and he will honour his commitment to fight.

“Although Whittaker won’t be sharing in the profits generated by NBC and by the ticket buyers that fill the arena, he plans to use the paltry purse as motivation when he takes on the Main Events fighter.

“Taking something positive out of a bad situation may be an impressive trait, but it doesn’t change the injustice being perpetrated against Charles Whittaker.”

Killa, Alvarez and trainer Norman Wilson are resigned to going through with the bout despite the weight of disadvantage. “They know I don’t have a big name promoter behind and we don’t have the money to put up a better purse bid,” said Whittaker.

“I asked the Premier McKeeva Bush to promote the fight here but he said it couldn’t be staged until the budget was approved so it couldn’t happen until October, but the date was already set. It was now or never.

“Main Events claim they care for the interests of fighters but they obviously don’t. Raul tried to negotiate with them but they had no intentions of dealing with us. They just went to the IBF and negotiated with them instead. The IBF didn’t help by making my cut only 60 per cent instead of the stipulated 75 per cent.

“Where did the IBF come up with the agreement? There must be some justification. The whole thing is bad.”

The fact that Whittaker became the headline contest last Friday also rankles. “Main Events didn’t even call us to tell us,” he said. “How I learnt was through a boxing writer who sent a link on Facebook.”

Whittaker has been sparring with Keenan Collins, his opponent a year ago who next fought – and lost – to Rosado. Yet Collins earned more in losing against Rosado than Whittaker is getting for this contest. Rosado earned $30,000 in his last bout and Whittaker believes the American is getting a side payment for this fight.

Despite all the setbacks and wrangling Whittaker is determined to overcome the distractions. “I’m not worried,” he insisted. “I’m going to win.”

Whittaker tops the bill against Gabriel Rosado at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on 21 September on a televised NBC show.