Top Rank, Golden Boy squabble over date

Las Vegas has become the battleground for the feud between rival promotional companies Top Rank and Golden Boy, who both have major fight cards scheduled Sept. 15.

Golden Boy announced May 5 that WBC junior middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez would fight Sept. 15 at the MGM Grand Garden, securing the date with the Nevada Athletic Commission on June 14. Victor Ortiz had been his expected opponent on the Showtime Pay Per View card, but Ortiz lost by technical knockout to Josesito Lopez on Saturday at Staples Center in Los Angeles, so Alvarez's opponent is undetermined.

Then, on June 16, moments after Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. retained his WBC middleweight title with a seventh-round stoppage of Andy Lee in El Paso, Texas, Top Rank chairman Bob Arum announced that Chavez would face Sergio Martinez on Sept. 15 at the Thomas & Mack Center on an HBO Pay Per View card.

The move by Arum obviously didn't sit well with Richard Schaefer, Golden Boy's chief executive officer.

"It's just another attempt by Bob Arum to bully his way, and it's another attempt to hurt the sport of boxing," Schaefer said. "But we won't let ourselves be bullied.

"He claims he had Sept. 15 reserved. That's baloney. He never went to the athletic commission with that date."

Arum said he had been working on the Chavez-Martinez fight since February. He added that he has the support of casino mogul Steve Wynn and was finalizing plans to involve Caesars Palace, too.

"As far as I'm concerned, there's only one fight that night - that's Chavez Jr. vs. Martinez at the Thomas & Mack," Arum said. "(Golden Boy) can do whatever it wants."

Fight fans might like the idea of having a choice of cards, but Schaefer said the competition hurts the sport.

"I'm sure his event doesn't help our event, and our event doesn't help his event," Schaefer said. "But I don't think anyone is surprised by this. With Bob, it's not if you will get screwed, but when you will get screwed."

NAC chairman Skip Avansino said staffing both cards isn't an issue.

"We've got the personnel to handle both fights," he said.

■ TOP RANK SIGNS VARGAS - Unbeaten Las Vegas welterweight Jessie Vargas has switched promoters, leaving Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s company for a four-year deal with Top Rank. The move came two weeks after the 23-year-old Vargas hired Cameron Dunkin as his manager.

"Top Rank promised me some good things, and they've done great things with some of the best fighters," said Vargas (19-0, nine knockouts).

Dunkin said the key to the deal is keeping Vargas busy, getting him in high-profile fights and in position to compete for a championship belt.

"It's a good deal for Jessie," Dunkin said. "This is an opportunity for him to get more exposure."

The plan is for Vargas to fight in September, possibly on the Chavez Jr.-Martinez undercard.

"I would love to fight that night," Vargas said. "That would be a great spot to make my (Top Rank) debut."

■ RATHER TURNS PRO - Las Vegas heavyweight Brett Rather has turned pro and will make his debut July 20 in Laughlin or Aug. 4 at Texas Station.

Rather, who had 20 amateur fights, is a former UNLV boxer who tried unsuccessfully to qualify for the London Olympics.

"It's time to make this move," Rather said. "I know I have a lot to learn, and I have to adjust to the different styles. But there's a lot of opportunity in the heavyweight division, so it's going to be interesting to see what comes about."

Rather said he is being courted by Banner Promotions/Justice Entertainment Group and Top Rank.

"I'm waiting to see who I'm most comfortable with," he said.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.