Shine Fights ‘Laugh Off’ Don King Injunction

Shine Fight Promotions CEO Devin Price responded Thursday to an injunction filed by Don King Promotions (DKP) by laughing off what Price called “trickerations” from the longtime boxing promoter.

DKP filed for injunctive relief against Shine and Ricardo Mayorga last Friday, asking a Broward County, Fla., Court to prevent the boxer’s participation against former UFC lightweight contender Din Thomas in Shine Fights 3 “World Collide” this Saturday at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, N.C. DKP has also filed a separate complaint seeking a jury trial on the matter.

According to the legal documents obtained by Sherdog.com, DKP claims Mayorga is in violation of its exclusive promotional contract with the boxer. However, Shine’s Price argues that DKP’s contract with the athlete pertains only to his boxing career, and not his mixed martial arts endeavors.

“When one operates within the rules and regulations, one has nothing to worry about,’ said Price in a press release issued Thursday. “As far as King goes, it is just his usual smoke-and-mirrors. He shoots his mouth off about an injunction to try and sway the media's perception, and then waits until the last minute to file in hopes of affecting the success of the promotion. I know the difference between MMA and boxing -- and so does Don King.”

In its filings, DKP accuses Mayorga of breaching his contract with the promotion by accepting the Shine Fights assignment without its explicit approval. DKP also alleges the MMA promotion engaged “tortuous conduct” to acquire Mayorga’s services and that the boxer’s participation in Saturday’s bout could damage Mayorga’s physical well-being and reputation, thus preventing DKP from using the boxer in a proposed bout against current WBA World Middleweight Champion Felix Sturm in August or September 2010.

In a copy of Mayorga’s promotional agreement provided by DKP with its motions, the contract states the promotion has “sole and exclusive rights to secure and arrange all professional boxing bouts,” specified as “Bouts,” for three years. The contract also states Mayorga may not participate in “any bouts other than bouts promoted or co-promoted by Promoter or for which Promoter has granted Fighter prior written permission.”

The contract’s verbiage doesn’t specifically define the difference between “Bouts” and “bouts” in lowercase. However, DKP’s lawyer, Alex Brito, asserts that “bouts” includes boxing, MMA, as well as other combat sports disciplines.

“We think the contract is very clear in what it prohibits Mr. Mayorga from doing without Mr. King promoting the actual bout or giving his blessing for another entity to promote it,” said Brito.

Brito also contends that Shine infringed on DKP's contract with the 36-year-old boxer by targeting the audience that King has helped build for Mayorga in the last few years.

“Mayorga is not an MMA participant,” said Brito. “He’s a boxer. His skills in this event are being promoted as a boxer. There are no illusions here that Mayorga is going to go in there and grapple.”

In the release, Mayorga alludes that King hasn’t provided him with the contracted quota of fights (two to three fights in a one-year period), as stipulated in the promotional agreement.

"Don King cannot stop this fight because I have only signed contracts with Don having to do with my boxing career,” said Mayorga in the release. “This is ridiculous, because Don knows he has not fought me in 18 months and a fighter makes his living and supports his family based on fighting…He does not give me fights and now wants to try to stop me from fighting.”

Brito said it was his understanding that Mayorga had not fought during that period because of an injury, though the fighter has chosen not to publicly disclose that information.

A Broward County judge will rule on the injunction Friday at 1:30 p.m. EST, said Brito.

J. R. Riddell contributed to this report.