Star Boxing Inc., a promoter based in Harrison, claims that one of its professional prize fighters has switched allegiance to another promoter.
Star Boxing is demanding that Carlos Takam, a heavyweight who trains in Henderson, Nevada, honor their promotion deal, in a complaint filed June 19 in U.S. District Court, White Plains.
“Takam’s obligation to fight exclusively in bouts promoted by SBI (Star Boxing) is clear and unambiguous,” the complaint states, but “at some point in late 2022 Takam began negotiating with a third-party promoter for a fight.”
Star Boxing was founded in 1992 by Joseph DeGuardia, who won a Golden Gloves title while attending law school. It has represented hundreds of professional fighters, according to the complaint, and promoted events worldwide on ESPN, HBO, Showtime and other broadcasters.
Takam represented Cameroon in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece and turned pro in 2005. He has won 40 bouts, lost seven and drawn once.
In 2019, he signed an exclusive promotional agreement with Star, according to the complaint, and last year Star exercised an option to extend the deal to at least mid-September 2023.
But at some point Takam allegedly made a deal with AllStar Boxing France to fight heavyweight Tony Yoka in Paris this past March 11 for a 225,000-Euro purse ($266,175).
Star says it had negotiated the same matchup a year before but Takam had claimed he was injured and unavailable to fight.
Yoka is an “up and comer,” the complaint states. He won the super-heavyweight division gold medal in the 2016 Olympics, and as a pro he had won 11 fights and lost one.
It’s not just a share of the purse that benefits the promoter, according to the complaint. Prominent fights give the promoter invaluable brand exposure and future business opportunities with broadcasters and other fighters.
“These associated benefits are essential for promoters,” the complaint states, “to compete in the boxing industry.”
Despite Takam’s alleged bob and weave, Star saw the Yoka matchup as making sense. Five days before the scheduled fight, Star proposed a settlement.
Takam would pay Star $75,000, and the promoter would have the right to negotiate co-promotional rights for the fight.
But Takam did not sign the documents and he allegedly claimed that he has been released from Star’s exclusive promotional agreement.
The fight went on. The oddsmakers favored Yoka, 30, to win. But Takam, 42, won by a split decision.
The victory elevated Takam’s stature as a heavyweight, the complaint states, and whenever he fights again the revenues for boxer and promoter will be significant.
Star contends it is still Takam’s exclusive promoter, and it is asking the court to uphold the deal.
Takam’s attorney, Alanna Bondy of Sgro/Roger Attorneys, Las Vegas, did not respond to an email asking for the boxer’s side of the story.
Star is represented by White Plains attorneys Carl L. Finger and David M. Dahan.
