Michael Hunter’s heavyweight future is mired in chaos after two rival promoters confirmed bouts for the 37-year-old just three weeks apart.
Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh struck first, locking in Hunter to face Jarrell Miller on September 11 as part of Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford fight week in Las Vegas.
Canelo vs Crawford is the talk of the town, and any fighter worth anything would want to be part of those fight week festivities in boxing’s capital.
Hunter has been adamant that he wants the Miller fight due to its bigger paycheck and the chance to perform on the year’s most significant stage.
Alalshikh vs King
But legendary promoter Don King quickly fired back, announcing Hunter for an October 4 WBA heavyweight title challenge against champion Kubrat Pulev in Miami.
King insists his $1.1 million purse bid victory and a three-year contract signed in February 2024 give him exclusive rights to Hunter’s next fight.
The timing leaves just 21 days between the two proposed bouts, a turnaround that would be almost unheard of in modern heavyweight boxing.
Hunter, however, has filed a legal declaration stating he is a free agent, accusing Don King Productions of ‘material breach’ for failing to respond to legal correspondence by April 27. He also labeled terms in the Pulev agreement “draconian and unacceptable” despite King accepting his redlined version.
In the same document, Hunter indemnified Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season against any legal fallout from King’s claims, effectively greenlighting the Miller fight for now.
An Uncertain Future
King remains unmoved, branding opposition to the Pulev bout as’ corruption, fraud, bribery, rigged schemes and crooked scams’ by rival interests, and vowing to defend the WBA’s purse bid ruling.
With both promoters publicly standing their ground and Hunter’s September 11 commitment only three weeks before the Pulev date, the final decision could come down to whether the Nevada and Florida commissions, or the courts, decide which fight goes ahead.
Right now, it’s Turki Alalshikh vs Don King, with Michael Hunter caught in the middle.
One thing is for sure: ‘The Bounty’ won’t be competing on both shows.
About the Author
Phil Jay is a veteran boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the global fight scene. As Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News since 2010, Jay has interviewed dozens of world champions and reported ringside on boxing’s biggest nights. [View all articles by Phil Jay] and learn more about his work in combat sports journalism.