Exclusive: Rick Glaser Explains Curtis Harper’s Issue With $6,000 Purse For Efe Ajagba Fight

Curtis Harper walking out on Efe Ajagba in the middle of a fight on live, national television was among the strangest boxing stories in recent memory and Rick Glaser explains Harper’s reasoning.

In an interview with Fightful, Glaser, who is currently representing Harper in the aftermath of him walking out on Ajagba on August 24, talks about Harper and why he pulled the now infamous stunt. According to Harper, one of the reasons he walked out was that he was unhappy with his purse.

When it was revealed that Harper’s purse for the fight was $6,000, Glaser was quick to point out that the pruse itself wasn’t the issue. The issue with the purse was that it was a for a televised fight Harper claims was never told about. Glaser said Harper would not have any issue with the purse if the fight was untelevised, but the purse was just one of several reasons Harper decided to walk out.

“There’s a complete misconception. He gladly accepted $6,000 and in the original contract sent to him on August 12 and executed it on August 13. Harper asked if they would buy a third plane ticket, they said yes. He asked if they would pay for his medicals, they said yes. He asked if the fight was going to be on television and they said no. Now for off-TV fights at heavyweight, $6,000 is fair. If it was on schedule for TV like it was, then $6,000 is not fair. They lied to him about everything,” Glaser said. 

In the end, Harper had enough with the organizers of the fight and the card after several promises not being kept to the heavyweight boxer.

“He was lied to, bullsh*tted to, conned. He was fed up. Everything that went wrong did go wrong. They told him the fight wasn’t on TV, then it became a TV fight. He was told they were paying for his medicals. Then they didn’t. There wasn’t one thing that went right. By the time he was in the ring, he was mentally worn out. He’s had 18 professional fights, this wasn’t a four-rounder where he was making his pro debut or his second or third fight. The man has had 18 professional fights and had acquitted himself in the sport. Prior to the debacle, he had a fantastic reputation in the business,” Glaser said.

Harper, a 13-6 heavyweight who previously fought former title challenger Chris Arreola, is currently awaiting a final verdict from the Minnesota Office of Combative Sport after the commission concludes its investigation.