Or Was It????.....
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MASS DESTRUCTION!! RESPONDING TO KRR
Spitting
Fire... Attacked and Angry
IKF Puts It's Foot DOWN HARD "FOR" Fighters &
Promoters!
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Rick Roufus, Steve Fossum and Stan Longinidis share a moment after the weigh-ins for their IKF World Title bout on the MASS DESTRUCTION event in May 1999. This event was the turning point as to how the IKF gets involved with Pro Purses. Before this event, the IKF had always trusted Promoters and Athletic Commissions when they assured them that the Purse money was honestly going to be paid. And why question these promoters who had already paid Don Wilson in full his $150,000.00 purse and Dick Kimber a $10,000 training fee in January. They had also already paid all the PPV deposits, the IKF helped greatly with the sanctioning fee expenses charging for 5 World Titles, 1 US Title and 6 Title Belts only $2,855.00. The Promoters had also already paid nearly $20,000 in plane tickets for fighters, officials and special guests as well. 
Although the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission assured the IKF that all the purse money was covered in the promoters license, it was a shock to EVERYONE after the event when none of the Fighters Checks could be cashed and ALL of the checks the promoter wrote to each of them all later BOUNCED! Rick Roufus (Left Below) was on top of the World After Defeating Stan Longinidis and winning his IKF World Title on Live PPV TV at Mass Destruction. However, it was the emotional trauma of not being paid his Purse that would quickly take him out of his winning ZONE! 
Although Roufus was paid $10,000 in training expenses up front, the Promoter never paid Roufus his actual purse of $91,000. YES, "$91,000!" After the event, promoters were no where to be found, leaving IKF President Steve Fossum alone in the arena with all the fighters and trainers trying to deal with things. The box office which Fossum was told by the promoters would cash everyone's check was closed and the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission had left the building. After an extensive search of the arena, Fossum found
co-promoter Scott Haddad. Haddad who was discussing the un-paid
purses with Roufus' manager and trainer in a private conference room.
While the meeting took place, Dick Kimber (Pictured Below Left)
came in and Haddad paid him $10,000 in cash right in front of Fossum,
Roufus' manager and trainer. (Kimber had already received
$20,000 for training fees around January of 1999 and demanded to be paid another
To make Haddad's credibility worse, he "FAKED" a phone conversation with co-promoter Phil Malonson acting as if Malonson was assuring him he could meet Roufus and Longinidis in the morning with their full purse. However, it was all a bunch of lies as no one ever met Roufus or his trainers or Longinidis the next day. The week after the event, only 2 checks cleared the bank. Curtis Bush's $2,500 purse and Juan Adams check for $1,000. Adams was a fighter who didn't even fight. Some time later, Kevin Rosier was paid half his $5,000 purse. In the end, who didn't get paid? Here's the list; 
So, you wonder now if it was "The GREATEST NIGHT IN KICKBOXING?" For what Roufus and the other Champions Accomplished, IT TRULY WAS! For what promoters Phil Malonson and Scott Haddad did "EMOTIONALLY" to all those who walked away with only a bounced check? NO WAY! We await their fate for As the saying goes, "What goes around, Comes Around!" Has it changed the way the IKF deals with EVERY PROMOTER who is responsible for a Pro Purse? You better believe it has. Now ALL IKF Promoters must hand over 100% CASH to the IKF Representative BEFORE the EVENT or the event is CANCELLED! No EXCEPTIONS! Although the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission was responsible, none of the fighters took legal action against them or the promoters as of this writing, 9/27/00. That is, at least not "YET"... The lesson learned from Mass Destruction is a lesson we here at the IKF will NEVER FORGET! Too bad it came at such a high price of all involved. For more stories about
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Dick Kimber, (Left)
was paid $50,000 prior to his bout with Wilson. However he claimed he was still
owed another $100,000.00 however a contract for this was never seen by the IKF.
Tommy Kimber, (L)
IKF President Steve Fossum (C) and
Curtis Bush (R) share a moment after Kimber and Bush
weighed in for their IKF World Title bout.
Kimber defeated Bush by Unanimous Decision to win the IKF Pro World Full Contact Rules Middleweight title.
Kevin
Rosier (L), IKF President Steve
Fossum (C) and Mike Labree (R) after Rosier & Labree
weighed in for their IKF World Title bout.
Labree defeated Rosier by TKO late in the fight to win the IKF Pro World Full Contact Rules Super Heavyweight
title. They were smilin here, but no one smiled after the event when their
checks bounced.
Stan Longinidis
(L) and Rick Roufus (R) listen to IKF
President Steve Fossum at the weigh-ins. The topic was about weight
class since both fighters weighed-in below the 215 Super Heavyweight class
making the bout a IKF IR Heavyweight Title
instead.
While Rick Roufus (L)
discusses his IKF World Title victory with
commentator Victor Thériault his opponent Stan Longinidis
(R) ponders what might have been.
IKF
Pro World Heavyweight Champion Rick "The Jet" Roufus
(L) relaxes in his locker room after his TKO victory over Stan Longinidis
(R). If anyone thought Roufus' victory was one or two lucky shots, think
again. The marks on Longinidis tells the story as the marks on his legs,
ribs and head in this picture speaks volumes. 
IKF World Cruiserweight Champion
Stan
Longinidis gets his hand wraps off in the locker room after he broke his
foot and couldn't answer the bell for the 10th round against Rick Roufus.
Roufus was ahead on all 3 judges cards at the time of the stop, 89-81,
88-81 and 86-83, all 3 for Roufus. Longinidis was competitive in
rounds 1-4 where the scores were 40-36 Longinidis, 39-38 Roufus
and the final judge having it 38-38 even. However, in round 5, Roufus
landed a head kick which dropped Longinidis hard. After it, Longinidis
wasn't the same and never won another round on any judges cards.
With a host of
trainers, IKF World FCR Welterweight
Champion Paul Biafore (Center/Glasses, Belt) poses with IKF President Steve Fossum (left, Tux) of
Biafore. IKF referee John
Schorlee is on the far right. Schorlee stopped the bout at the end
of the 4th round after Biafore landed several strong combinations on
opponent Bernard Robinson. Biafore was ahead on all the cards at
the time, 40-36, 40-35 & 40-35. 