MOSCOW, October 21 (R-Sport) – A rematch between WBA cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev and his controversial challenger Guillermo Jones will happen sooner rather than later if Jones' promoter Don King gets his way in ongoing negotiations, a Russian boxing figure involved in the talks told R-Sport on Monday.
Jones stopped Lebedev in the 11th round in Moscow in May for the WBA cruiserweight belt but the title was handed back to Lebedev last week after Jones tested positive for the banned masking agent furosemide.
As part of its ruling, the WBA ordered King and Lebedev's promoter Andrei Ryabinsky into immediate negotiations on a rematch, with a deadline of Thursday for an agreement.
“Don King wrote a letter to Andrey Ryabinsky where he stated his position,” said Vlad Hrunov, a Russian promoter representing Ryabinsky in the talks. “It is a personal letter in which he expressed his respect and gratitude for the work done last year and suggested holding the fight as soon as possible.”
The earliest a fight could take place is November 17, when Panamanian fighter Jones' doping ban expires.
The May 17 bout was marked by a swelling on Lebedev's face the size of a tennis ball. Talking of his gruesome facial injury, pictures of which were shared around the world, Lebedev said earlier this month: "My eye still hurts."
