Fresh off the Don King-Michael Hunter legal battle, on Thursday morning, BiYu Promotions told FightsATW that they have sent a cease-and-desist order to mogul James Prince (J-Prince) and fighter Marquis Taylor (18-1-2, 3 KOs) alleging “breach of contract and tortious interference.”
Bobby Harrison, founder and CEO of BiYu Promotions, hired California attorney Gregory M. Smith (Editors Note: FightsATW called Smith to verify he was hired by BiYu Promotions but he declined to answer the question and stated to contact BiYu about it) to issue the cease-and-desist order as Taylor attempted to split with BiYu Promotions for J Prince, despite being under an exclusive five-year management contract with Harrison signed in March.”
“It Was All Good Just A Week Ago”
BiYu Promotions is a company based in Houston, TX, where J-Prince is from and operates. On the company’s website, BiYu provides a description of who they are and their business model.
“BiYu Promotions prides itself on its consistent track record for staging boxing events and developing boxing talent for more than 15 years. Founded by Bobby Harrison, a licensed boxing promoter and boxing manager, BiYu Promotions is the epitome of passion and global ambition.
“Headquartered in Houston, TX, and with offices in Tampa, FL, and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, we are shaping boxing on a global scale. Our passion lies in unearthing and nurturing raw boxing talent and providing these fighters with a career pathway in the professional ranks.”
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One of the fighters underneath the BiYu Promotions banner is 31-year-old middleweight Taylor from Houston, whose last fight was a unanimous decision victory over Ivan Pandzic in December. Taylor had not fought since, but then in July, a unique opportunity presented itself that Taylor and his team couldn’t pass up, involving the most powerful man in boxing: Turki Alalshikh.
The event was a sparring competition hosted by Ring Magazine & BOXRAW, with the ultimate prize being a slot on the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight week card in September. The event, which was open to the public in New York City, was filled with fans, fighters, managers, and anyone else who could fit inside the venue.
Taylor faced Jacob Solis, and after hitting him twice in the back of the head, Solis went crashing down. The knockout was caught on camera, and after it was posted online, the video went viral. Many felt that the event and incident were barbaric and failed to uphold the spirit of what “sparring” is all about. The video was taken down by RING, but it lives online forever.
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J-Prince was in attendance, and BiYu Promotions alleges that he was telling people there that he now manages Taylor. BiYu’s Harrison was obviously taken aback by this, but was not surprised, as he has known J-Prince for quite some time.
“Prince is up to his old tricks again,” said Harrison. “We’re both manager/promoters, and I know exactly how this business works — and how Prince works. People often back down when he applies pressure. I won’t. My company won’t. The facts are clear: the only person confused about who represents Marquis is J Prince. Everyone else in the industry has a clear understanding.
“Two years ago, Marquis came to me because nobody — including Prince — could get him meaningful fights. He was undefeated for eight years and still ignored. I invested hundreds of thousands into his career, provided housing, helped secure him a NABF title, and helped get him ranked by the WBC. And now, after one viral clip, he walks away in favor of someone who didn’t even want him before.
“They see an opportunity to profit from my work and shed me aside. This is the kind of dirtiness boxing is known for — but I’m not letting it slide. We will be fighting it and shining a light on it every step of the way.“
Now the ball is in the court of J-Prince and his legal team to figure out how they want to proceed. Is Taylor worth the legal battle and the cost associated with it to take this to court, or will this be something that gets settled before seeing a judge? J-Prince and/or his representatives aren’t the easiest to reach, so FightsATW will continue to monitor the situation, and if a statement is received by them, it will be published to update this story.
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