European Boxing Promoter Sues Showtime

DAVE SKRETTA

NEW YORK (AP) — A European boxing promoter is suing Showtime, contending the cable network conspired to help WBA super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler break his promotional contract and take part in its round-robin tournament.

The complaint was filed Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan. It claims Showtime was unwilling to work with promoter Mogens Palle in putting together a six-man tournament featuring the 168-pound division that began last weekend in Europe.

The lawsuit says the network secured Kessler by working through German promoter Sauerland Event, which promotes fellow tournament member Arthur Abraham. Palle believes that represents a breach of his exclusive promotional rights to the Danish fighter.

"Kessler was a critical component (of the tournament)," said attorney Jethro Eisenstein, who represents Palle. "Showtime was courting Mogens Palle for some time and ... they had what they thought was a bad experience with Palle, and decided that they wanted to go around him.

"Showtime's intervention, you know, was at least part of the cause of Kessler jumping ship."

A spokesman for the network said it does not comment on pending litigation.