Undefeated Top-Five welterweight contender and the pride of Argentina CARLOS ABREGU blasted his fellow countryman and World Boxing Association (WBA) interim super lightweight champion Marcos Maidana for his continuous litany of excuses for not fighting undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley.
Abregu is training at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn in preparation for his 12-round welterweight rumble with Bradley, which will take place Saturday, July 17, and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark from The Show at Agua Caliente Casino • Resort • Spa in Rancho Mirage, Calif., beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast.)
“Lady Maidana and his promoter keep changing their tune. First Maidana can’t fight Bradley on June 19 because of a back injury. Then he can’t fight Bradley on July 17 because the same injury still has not healed. Now they claim it wasn’t Maidana’s back that was injured but he is having difficulties with his manager. It seems the ache in his back has migrated down and become a giant pain in the ass to everyone. Prescribe these guys a few doses of Truth Serum!
“As citizen of Argentina, I’m embarrassed to call him my countryman,” continued Abregu. “Even though I was the only one who stepped up to fight Bradley when he first landed a date for HBO debut, I stepped back to allow Maidana to unify the title, but he wouldn’t even risk his own belt when the fight was first made. Well after I give Bradley his first professional loss, I’ll be more than happy to give Maidana the same opportunity to fight me at welterweight so he can keep his precious interim title. Because that is all he will have left after I ice him. He’s a disgrace to Argentina and its rich boxing heritage. He’s also a liar.”
Abregu (29-0, 23 KOs), a former South American welterweight champion, is a distant relative of Argentinean Luis Firpo, “The Wild Bull of the Pampas,” known for knocking World Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey out of the ring during their exciting world title fight at the Polo Grounds in 1923, ultimately won by Dempsey. Abregu’s last five victories, over Gutierrez, Diego Gallardo, Irving Garcia, Americo Rodolfo Sagania and David Estrada, have catapulted him into the Top Five as a world-rated welterweight contender in the World Boxing Council (WBC) and the International Boxing Federation (IBF).
Promoted by Gary Shaw Productions and Thompson Boxing Promotions, the HBO Boxing After Dark broadcast will open with a 12-round junior middleweight battle between No. 1 contender and former WBO interim junior middleweight champion Alfredo Angulo and former WBA super welterweight champion Joachim Alcine. The four fighters boast a combined record of 104-2 (68 KOs). Remaining tickets, priced at $180, $150, $130, $90 and $45, and box seats – $225, can be purchased at The Show box office, by calling 800-585-3737 and online at www.HotWaterCasino.com/TheShow.
