I just dont think Vitali should be complaining about anything, he should thank his lucky stars the WBC gave him the opertunity to come back and fight for the title. As much as I would hate to see a Maskaev/Vitali, I guess it's only fair.
And Maskaev is taking advantage of a situation too - something every other fighter would have done too. So what's the difference? Both have benefitted from the WBC's atrocious decision making. Maybe Vitlay will now see how much he pissed off everybody else that he was messing around with all of his withdrawls from fights, and then his queue jumping when he came back. I don't blame him for being pissed off, but Maskaev is doing nothing different to what Vitlay himself did. (and I thought Rahman was a last minute replacement, how can that be a mandatory??)
Rahman wasn't the original mandatory but he was when Povetkin pulled out due to injury. The rules state that the mandatory can be fulfilled if you fight the next highest available contender. Not a bad rule really, or we wouldn't even be entertaining the thought of a Wladimir vs. Haye fight.
That's why I'm sure Wlad wanted the fight with Haye, he went out of his way to clear that mandatory so he could be available for a voluntary defense.
IBF made Rahman the mandatory since the fight was with Povetkin and was a mandatory... it gave Povetkin (from injury) 11 months before he had to face Wlad rather then strip Povetkin of the #1 position if he could make the fight Vitali left as champion.... Maskaev LOST... how does Maskaev get a shot... I dont give a ****... I just think its a **** fight PLUS the WBC is forcing back to back mandatories... thats bull****
Thats exactly how I see it, Maskaev getting another crack at the belt aint fair, but neither is coming back after nearly 4 years on the bench and being able bypass mandatories to get a title fight anytime you want you.
For the record isn't Floyd "Champion Emeritus" too? I know Lennox Lewis is, as well as a few others...................
Let's take it slow. Nobody is saying it's the same thing. Nobody is saying that Maskeav is deserving of a title shot at all. All that's being said, is both guys are taking advantage of dubious rulings by the WBC, regardless of how legitimate (or not) those rulings are/were. Why did the WBC make a special case for Vitaly? They didn't for Kostya Tszyu, and he wasn't gone for 4 years, he was out just over a year, but he had his WBC title stripped, and no Emeritus style bull**** created for him. The Emeritus thing is a disaster waiting to happen. Champ doesn't like the look of mando. Retires. Gets Emeritus status. Mando gets belt. Loses in first defence against a better matchup. Ex champ now magically unretires, enforces defence, and gets belt back. Then has a voluntary defence. Then retires again against tough mando. Rinse and repeat.
Regardless of what they like to say to the public, I am not holding my breath for Chagaev and Kohl fighting either Klitschko.