'Bazooka', Promoters Disagree Over Purse

Ike 'Bazooka' Quartey's upcoming fight in South Africa on December 5 could be heading for a 'no show' if the promoters fail to meet his demands for a bigger purse and the Ghana broadcast rights for the bout.

The 'Bazookaman' who spoke to this reporter yesterday revealed that he lashed out at the promoters on phone for proposing what he termed a disrespectful purse. Though he would not disclose the exact figure being proposed Ike said the amount was too small.

Quartey is to face an unnamed South African opponent at the Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal in Gauteng, South Africa.

“When a boxer of my pedigree is going into a fight, he has to make good money. At this stage in my career I don't need to make a name, I have to be paid good money before I can agree to a fight,” he said.

The former WBA welterweight champion said he also asked the promoters to give him the television broadcast rights for the fight. “If the promoters increase my purse considerably I can forget about the broadcast rights. So for now I have left it to them to do some further negotiations and get back to me,” he said.

Quartey (37-4-1, 31 KOs), now a light middleweight, last fought in Las Vegas, USA, in December 2006 where he lost to Ronald 'Winky' Wright through a unanimous decision.

Before that he had suffered a controversial loss to Vernon 'The Viper' Forrest at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

Quartey is currently training at the Bukom Gym situated in Bukom, Accra, his birthplace.

Story By Nathaniel Attoh