STATEMENTS FRANK WARREN PROMOTIONS ON COMMENTS MADE BY MIGUEL VAZQUEZ

IBF Lightweight Champion Miguel Vazquez is today quoted as saying that he did not take the fight against Ricky Burns in March because “his promoters made me an offer that I wasn’t going to accept to travel overseas. It was said that I didn’t fight because I was ill, truthfully it was a business decision.”

Miguel Vazquez agreed terms for the fight against Ricky Burns and signed a bout agreement confirming all the terms, which he lodged with the IBF on 20 February 2013.  We were then told by his manager Juan Carlos Torres and US representative Sean Gibbons that he was injured and unable to travel to the UK for the fight. We asked for evidence and he supplied a medical certificate, signed by his own doctor. Before the date could be rescheduled, Ricky Burns withdrew from the fight. Miguel Vazquez’ advisor was then quoted in the Daily Mail as saying “I understand Ricky Burns’ frustration that Miguel came down with a stomach virus and that the fight was pushed back, but at no point did we ever say we weren’t coming.”

Miguel Vazquez added to this: “I’m very sorry about this situation. We were at the height of the preparation that was so intense my body was in a great physical condition, strong and fast. There were weeks of total dedication and preparation, but the infection I suffered in the stomach was very strong, I even laid down in bed for a week…but it was the best thing. My company told me that the fight will be rescheduled and in a few days more they’ll tell me the date.”

We will be asking Miguel Vazquez for a full explanation of his latest comments and we will be asking the IBF and the British Boxing Board of Control to investigate further.  If it is the case that he lied to us, the IBF and the UK media, then we will want to sue for damages because of the losses he has caused us.

We have today placed the matter in the hands of our lawyers and will make no further comment until Mr Vazquez tells us which version of events is in fact the true one.