Limond: Gutted

Also see

• Sky Sports experts
• World champions
• On Sky TV
• Messageboards

Willie Limond has reluctantly withdrawn from fighting on the Joe Calzaghe v Roy Jones Jr undercard in New York on November 8.

The Glaswegian had agreed to step up to light-welterweight to take on the undefeated Ukrainian Dmitriy Salita at Madison Square Garden, but his management team made demands that couldn't be met.

Salita's team wanted the option of putting the Commonwealth lightweight champion on their next three shows if Limond won, which the Scot viewed as unacceptable.

"I'm gutted we couldn't come to some sort of agreement," Limond said. "This has been going on since July, this fight has been on and off about 10 times.

"They weren't taking any risks, I was taking all the risks.

"I was willing to take c*** money in the first fight, but they wanted me to sign a three-fight deal for the same money for every single fight after that.

"I got more fighting for my EU title in Glasgow four years ago, so it just doesn't make sense.

"If they were that confident they were going to beat me, why did they need me to sign the options contract? It was a no-win situation."

The 29-year-old will, however, take what was due to be a warm-up fight at Paisley's Lagoon Leisure Centre on Saturday night, after which he hopes to defend his IBO intercontinental lightweight title.

"Defending this title twice is not out of my capabilities, to get a fight against Juan Diaz," he said. "These are hard fights but I'm getting to the level where I need to be in these fights.

"One minute I'm meant to be fighting at Madison Square Garden and the next I'm on the Paisley show.

"You have got to be professional and put the same effort into every single job, but it's been a frustrating time."

Limond, who floored Amir Khan before losing to the Brit in eight rounds last year, has since turned down the chance to fight Khan's nemisis Breidis Prescott.

"They asked us to fight him at three weeks' notice and I said no," Limond said.

"I couldn't make the weight at three weeks' notice because I was training to make light-welterweight.

"I said 'give me more time' but they never got back to us."