RONNIE SHIELDS COMMENTS ON LEAVING JUAN DIAZ

Aug 14, 2007- Moments ago, I spoke with renowned trainer Ronnie Shields about an news flash that was published on Fightnews.com by Karl Freitag. The news brief referenced Shield’s decision to work the corner of the only four-time heavyweight world champion Evander Holyfield for his fight against WBO heavyweight belt holder Sultan Ibragimov instead of being present when WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Diaz battles IBF titlist Julio Diaz on October 13 in their unification bout. He gave a very honest assessment of what went into his decision to work Holyfield’s corner and how the situation came about.

http://www.fightbeat.com/article_detail.php?AT=474

 

Nice job of getting it straight from the source, rather than just posting speculative dribble for the sake of being first. :bears:

As mentioned in the other thread, I don't fault Shields for making this decision. Very rarely does a trainer choose the lesser payout in such a situation. The one time where I can recall a cornerman opting for loyalty was when Joe Souza decided to stay in Leija's corner for his fight with Gatti, with whom Joe had also long served as a cutman. But he knew Leija longer and sided with friendship.

Hopefully Savannah gets over himself and everyone can have a big group hug come October 14 (or whenever Shields returns from Russia)

 

agREED.

Savanah needs to get over himself.

More money, chance at "history" it's a no-brainer.

 

Way to take a dig at the competition. What are you guys, hating?

 

what the hell are you talking about? I stopped writing for this site months ago. If anything, the "competition" is paying FightBeat a compliment. I thought it was a nice job of getting the story straight from the source, whereas FightNews' blurb (aside from Shields actually training w/ Holyfield for his Oct 13 fight) was a rumor from an unconfirmed source

 

Juan Diaz basically becoming the first undisputed lightweight champ in years is more significant than Holyfield´s 9th loss. :dunno:

And I don´t follow the stupid idea of Ring Magazine, that Casamayor´s win over Corrales at 140 makes him the real lightweight champ or even that chump David Diaz.

 

I don't lend much stock to The Ring either, but Casamayor weighed 135 for a lightweight title fight against Corrales, who was generally regarded as the lightweight champion. Not sure how anyone can sidestep the fact that Casamayor is the top lightweight at the moment. The networks can, sure (though HBO's task becomes more difficult now that he's w/ Golden Shower) - but he is the lightweight champion until someone takes it from him in the ring.

That said, I agree that in the grand scheme of things, the battle of Diaz' is a more significant fight than Holyfield fighting in Russia, off-TV, for an obscure title against an obscure titlist. But to paraphrase what you said in another thread, regarding morales, "more significant" doesn't always mean "more money."

 

No doubt, Shields does it for the cash, just don´t gimme the legacy reason, since the chances Holyfield actually wins the fight are less than 1%.

Corrales didn´t weigh 135 pounds, so how is it a lightweight title fight?

Anyway Juan Diaz will beat Casamayor as well. He´ll become the second four belt champ after Hopkins. :clap:

 

It's pretty simple...he'd get more money from working with Holyfield than Diaz. Also, he's known Holyfield longer and has been involved with him longer.

Like I said in another thread...

10% of $2 million trumps 10% of $300,000.

Besides, you can't blame Shields for looking out for his best interest considering that's exactly what Savannah did with Diaz a year ago when they left Main Events (who raised him) for Don King because they felt Don King gave them a better deal.

isn't it hypocritical to get pissed at Shields for doing the exact same thing? Especially considering Shields has known Holyfield for years whereas Diaz and Savannah had no prior relationship with King.

 

..and Moscow is more interesting than Vegas, and the Holyfield fight will be shorter as well. ::

 

dsimon writes:

Cute El T..... cute.:: ::

 

How is it a lightweight title fight? You're kidding right? Corrales was THE champ. The fight was contracted to take place as a title fight, the champ did not make weight so he was losing his title regardless of the outcome. Casamayor MADE weight therefor still having the chance to win the title if he won, which he did.

Casamayor is THE champ. beltless or not.

 

The ring magzine is basically junk, junk in-junk out.
The real reason most real knowledgeable boxing people regarding Juan as the true Champion is that he is a true lightweight.
The late Diego and Joel are and were true welterweights/ jr. middleweights.
Also; Joel has some idiot hothead Latino manager that has blown it for him financially when he could have fought Juan but declined, and Joel is not a draw either, as nobody knows who he is save for die hard fight fans.
Joel would have had a lot better chance two years ago than he does now, if he could ever make 135 again 36 hours before the actual fight, and I don't beleive that he can.
Regardless, Juan is too fast, too strong, too well-conditioned, too young, and just too good for the faded Cuban ring legend at this time in their respective careers.
Joel is broke and inactive, and should stop listening to that idiot manager of his and start fighting before he hits 40 years old, which isn't that far off for him.

 

I forgot to mention that Savannah screwed over Golden Boy in favor of King.

"Ya'll musta forgot" that Golden Boy had announced that they'd signed Diaz, Savannah gave Richard Schaeffer his word that Juan would sign with Golden Boy. King comes in with an extra $200,000 on the signing bonus, then he advises Juan to sign with King.

If Savannah wants to talk about loyalty and keeping his word in regards to Shields...he actions from last September are HIGHLY hypocritical.

I'm curious as to what Karl thinks of all this.

EDIT: see below post for updated dollar amounts

 

From ESPN.com

Diaz's manager spurns Golden Boy, goes with King
By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: September 18, 2006
Email
Print

So much for promises.

A week after Juan Diaz's manager Willie Savannah announced that the free-agent lightweight title holder was leaving Main Events and accepting a three-fight promotional contract from Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, Savannah backed out of the deal.

Instead, in a surprising move, Savannah accepted a more lucrative offer for Diaz to sign with Don King.

On Monday, Diaz and Savannah were in New York where King introduced them at a press conference, announcing that the 23-year-old fighter would make his fifth title defense against an opponent to be determined Nov. 4 in Phoenix.

King said that the fight will open the Showtime-televised card headlined by heavyweight titlist Sergei Liakhovich, who makes his first defense against Shannon Briggs.

Savannah said he has a signed agreement for Diaz to fight Nov. 4 and that he and attorney Fred Levin would meet with King later this week in his Deerfield Beach, Fla., office to hammer out the paperwork for the rest of the promotional deal, which would run through 2007, according to Savannah.

"We've got a one-bout contract right now and we're going to finish the rest of it later this week," Savannah told ESPN.com. "We haven't got down to signing the actual promotional deal yet. We'll get it done later this week, unless something pops up out of the ordinary or a snake pops out of the closet."

Savannah said King promised Diaz a $550,000 signing bonus and minimum purses of $400,000 for each of the fights on the deal. Savannah had agreed to a $200,000 signing bonus from Golden Boy with purse minimums in the $300,000 range.

"This was strictly about the financial reward," Savannah said. "My first choice for Juan was to go to Golden Boy, but boxing is a short-lived thing. You get in that ring and you don't know what will happen. I wanted to get as much money up front for Juan as I possibly could."

Savannah said he felt bad about going back on his word to Golden Boy.

"You've got to do the best deal for the fighter," Savannah said. "We wanted to be with Golden Boy, but the offer King made was so much better financially. I told [Golden Boy's] Richard Schaefer that I had a better offer from King and I apologized to him. I agonized and I agonized, and what Richard said was, 'I can't believe you would do me like that.' I told him what King offered and I haven't heard from Richard since. He was talking about how he was disappointed. I still have butterflies over it. I wouldn't blame Richard for calling me a piece of [expletive]."
Schaefer said he has heard that Diaz is signing with King, but he has yet to hear it from Savannah and is disappointed that their deal went sour.

"In boxing you can't trust anyone," Schaefer said. "I haven't really heard anything from Willie. I did leave a message for Willie and he has not called me back. I hope he will call me back and give me at least that courtesy. I just spoke to Oscar and I told him what was going on, and his reaction was, 'I feel really bad for Juan Diaz.'"

De La Hoya was alluding to King's reputation for signing contracts he doesn't live up to. For example, former heavyweight titlist Chris Byrd signed a promotional deal under which King guaranteed him a $2.5 million minimum for title defenses and then battled with him before most of his fights because he was denied the minimum.

King couldn't be reached for comment.

Schaefer said he had a deal with Savannah.

"I know we had a deal because he was telling everyone we had one," Schaefer said. "He was telling [reporters]. He told me, he told Oscar, he told [Golden Boy adviser] Don Chargin. Willie's attorney was telling our attorney that there is absolutely zero chance that we will go with somebody else."

Diaz (30-0, 15 KOs), a soft-spoken Houston native who goes to college in addition to fighting, said his job is to fight and that Savannah's job is to get him the best deal.

"It's very exciting to be in this situation," Diaz told ESPN.com. "Last year I couldn't get a fight for nothing. Now all these promoters are trying to sign me up. My main job is to get ready to fight and leave the business to Mr. Savannah. Whatever deal Savannah does, I will be happy with that. I don't care who I ended up with as long as Savannah says it's the best deal and as long as I fight every three or four months."

Diaz was one of the most sought-after free agents to hit the market in years because undefeated world champions that young don't generally become available.

"I feel real confident as a champion right now," Diaz said. "I'm getting ready for a fight. It doesn't matter who it is or for what promoter."

Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.

 

Not only that, but signing with King after first agreeing to terms with Golden Boy. Much like Shields is doing now, Savannah reached for the sack with the most cash last year.

 

never mind, you just posted as I typed that ::

 

I agree with you on everything you say about DeCubas. But to suggest Joel is a welterweight is absurd. He's fairly small even for lightweight, and to my knowledge has never had issues making weight. I know that Juan is a true lightweight, that he can jump on a scale 10 minutes before a fight and make 135. But he's the exception these days, Floyd Mayweather being one of the very few others who could also easily make weight in any division between 140-154.

I'd probably pick Juan to beat Casamayor if they were to fight today or in the future. But IMO, he still needs to beat him to gain true recognition as THE lightweight champ.

Then again, I guess this debate could go back to where people stood prior to Tyson/Spinks.

 

Like it or not, Casamayor DID infact fight and win the title at 135. Speculating on whether or not he can make 135 again is ridiculous. He won the title, and has not lost it in the ring. You should have more respect for the real champ and stop backing your personal friend.

 

i think it's fair to say that there is no such thing as a true champion in boxing. even if a guy unifies or whatever, it's not like he's defending the belt against everyone.

there are issues w/ multiple belts, mulitple mandatories, inactivity, and other things you can take into account.

you can always dispute that a champion isn't a real champion based on this and that.

what if Bernard Hopkins fought morade hakkar 4 times after unifying the WBO belt against Oscar?

or someone like darius m, who unified vs hill then fought a bunch of no hopers and has beens?

it's funny how folks try to justify all this in this unorganized sport.

 

Now, now Jake, that's not nice and not right.
It is not absurd it is "UBTHOID" in true Tyson-esque dialect.:nono:

 

I find myself agreeing with you more and more, *Z*. :eeeek:
Your impassionate plea defending the honor of the real champ is to be applauded!! :bears:
I still remember the way you defended Baldomir's honor (who, like Casamajor, won the championship in the ring), when people were trying to diminish Floyd's stature for fighting the REAL CHAMP (Carlos), instead of taking on some fans' personal favorite (Margarito)...
You did defend Baldomir's honor as the real champ, right?
You did not back that Margarito fraud, did you?
I'm not confusing you with someone else, no?

 

This is NATHAN More than Savannah ABUSING his Influence Over Juan Diaz & IMPOSING it on the Boxing World...

& it's Kinda SHITTY that he WOULDN'T Even Let Ronnie TALK to Juan B 4 All this Went Down...

Savannah was Probably Growing JEALOUS Over Juan & Ronnie's Relationship & FEARED that his Gravy Train was Gonna LEAVE him Eventually...So he CREATED some Friction by FORCING Shields to Make a Choice ...

NOBODY N Boxing likes to B DICKtated to...Fighters,Managers,Promoters,Writers,Trainers & Cutmen Included...

Ronnie Shields is a Former World Class Ammy & a Solid Pro who's Trained SEVERAL Noteworthy Fighters...WhoTHEFUCK was Willie Savannah,B 4 Juan Diaz Made him Famous???...


REED:dunno:

 

Perhaps he looked at how Fernando Vargas went through numerous trainers while Eduardo Garcia stayed in the backround.

Vargas always took care of Garcia and paid him despite Garcia's no longer being the lead in the corner.

 

Agreed 100%.

Casamayor beat the consensus "man" at 135, and as such no one can be called "THE CHAMP" at 135 until they take it from Casamayor in the ring.

Whether Corrales made the weight or not is irrelevant to Casamayor's hold on that "title."

That is, if you even try to make these arguments anymore, which are increasingly irrelevant and utterly unproductive.

Peace.

 

casamayor doesnt have a belt and is no longer obligated to fight mandatories.

the ring magazine title is garbage since they don't force mandatories either.

what if casamayor dumps his wbc interim status and fights scrubs in his next few fights while Diaz is fighting other Diaz's in attempt to unify?

lineage means squat in boxing. casamayor is just another titlist/champion or whatever you want to call it, but he certainly isn't the man anymore nor can surely say that he's the best at 135.

 

I never called Margarito the real champ, I just simply said he's better than Baldomir. I did however defend Baldomir as the real champ when a certain poster on this site called him a fraud and a bum. Ask REED. ::

 

Casamayor is the Ring magazine champ, but I'd rate Juan Diaz as the best fighter at 135. It's not any different from the Baldomir-Mayweather situation prior to Floyd winning that fight.

With that said...

The thread isn't about who the real champ at 135 is. The thread is about how Shields was treated by Savannah.

 

REED I think has gotten the wrong impression of Mr. Savannah in regards to this situation.
Savannah is retired United States Air Force and retired from the Union Pacific Railroad as well, and has run his gym not for free, but has actually had to pay out of his own pocket for years just to keep it financially afloat.
He has done great things for the Houston community, particularly for underprivileged youths and is seen as a father figure by legions of people in the community.
His gym is situated in southwest Houston in the center of the largest amount of gang activity in the city, and his gym is refuge and home for a lot of kids.
If a kid cannot afford to pay gym dues he trains for free, and Savannah has also been known to let pros that are financially strapped train for nothing there as well.
In short, he is a great man in Houston that shuns the limelight and has made substantial charitable contributions that he does not publicize as well.
Savannah may be tough and gruff on the outside, but inside he has a heart of gold.
Also; Savannah was Shields' manager when he was fighting and guided him to a couple of world title shots in the pros, the second of which he beat the hell out of a Japanese and was robbed of the title in Japan, so Savannah has always looked out for Ronnie as well and gave him the gig in his gym after he quit training for Duva.

 

So WHY is he FORCING Shields' Hand N this Particular Matter,KARL???...& WHY WOULDN'T he Allow Ronnie to Talk to Juan 1st???:dunno: ...

Shields Made it CLEAR that he could Conceivably Handle BOTH Duties,but it's SAVANNAH's CALL...

REED Doesn't Doubt that Savannah has Done GREAT Things for Houston & it's Youth,but that Doesn't Mean that a Cat Won't OCCASSIONALLY Get gREEDy or BOSSY when Money's Involved...



REED