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Jeff Lacy's retirement is over

By John C. Cotey, Times Staff Writer
In print: Tuesday, July 29, 2008

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Jeff Lacy's "retirement" is over.

On Monday, Lacy's attorney and adviser, Jim Wilkes, confirmed that the St. Petersburg super middleweight will take on Jermain Taylor on Nov. 15.

"I'm telling you, as Jeff's attorney, a deal has been reached," Wilkes said.

Lacy (24-1, 17 KOs) had been unhappy with the agreement negotiated for him by his promoter, Golden Boy Promotions.

Scheduled to make $550,000 for the fight, Lacy decided he was worth more and said he was finished with boxing.

"The fight's back on. I'm happy,'' Lacy said. "It's just crazy that sometimes you have to scratch and claw to try and get what you're worth.''

Lacy said he told promoters in spring that a fight with Taylor, Lacy's 2000 Olympic teammate, was worth more than $500,000. An increase to $550,000 after his win last week was "still an insult'' because after paying his promoter, trainer, training expenses and taxes, Lacy, 31, estimated he would receive $100,000.

Lacy said he received essentially "more like an ultimatum" to accept the fight and declined.

Either GBP or HBO sweetened Lacy's pot over the weekend.

"This was an issue between Golden Boy and Lacy," said Taylor's promoter Lou DiBella. "The deal between my fighter and Golden Boy is the same as it was last week."

DiBella said he was happy all sides worked out the deal.

This will be Lacy's third fight in a five-fight deal he signed with GBP last year. A victory over Taylor (27-2, 17 KOs) would give Lacy greater bargaining power.

Decision change: The California State Athletic Commission changed its original decision on the James Toney-Hasim Rahman fight from a technical knockout to a no decision. Toney stopped Rahman in the third round of their July 16 rematch of former heavyweight champions after Rahman said he couldn't finish because of a cut over his left eye.

Information from Times wires was used in this report. John C. Cotey can be reached at johncotey@gmail.com.