Maureen Shea was not happy with the current announcement that Cherneka Johnson will defend her Worldwide Boxing Federation (IBF) junior featherweight title towards Ellie Scotney.
Shea (30-2-1, 13 knockouts), rated no. 2 by the IBF, and Scotney, rated no. 1, had been ordered by the IBF on February 7 to face off in an interim-title battle, which Scotney’s promoter Matchroom Boxing proposed for April 29 in Sheffield, England.
Johnson suffered a significant head gash throughout her most up-to-date title protection towards Susie Ramadan in October and it was believed that she wouldn’t be able to make a compulsory protection till a minimum of June.
Shea and supervisor Luigi Olcese reached an settlement with Matchroom for the interim-title battle. Shea’s workforce signed and returned the contracts to Matchroom on February 18, however the contracts had been by no means executed by Matchroom and returned to the IBF earlier than the deadline.
“That is unhealthy for each feminine boxer on the market. The IBF must step in. Matchroom didn’t negotiate in good religion or intend to make this battle. Matchroom’s economics mustn’t dictate the alternatives to the sanctioning our bodies,” mentioned Shea.
Because it stands, Johnson (15-1, 6 KOs) is predicted to make her second protection of the belt towards Scotney (6-0) on Might 20 on the 3Arena in Dublin, Eire.
Shea believes she must be subsequent in line on the winner.
“Maureen ought to get a direct shot at whoever wins this battle. We should always get that in writing as a result of we negotiated in good religion. We might have moved in a special course however we didn’t. We handed over a chance to remain busy for this,” mentioned Olcese.
“That is greater than Maureen Shea as a result of it occurred to her on this occasion, however it’s occurring to different females as effectively.”
Shea, a pioneer in ladies’s boxing, has been unbeaten for the previous 14 years.
She final fought in Might of 2022, outpointing veteran Calista Salgado in Queens, N.Y.
