“He wanted a fight, then he didn’t want a fight. Then he sent the rehydration clause,” Zayas told reporters In-ring show. “I feel like that’s a lot of excuses for a guy who’s 6-foot-5.” He’s the biggest player in the division. “

Zayas said his team flatly rejected the clause, noting that the fight was not for the IBF title, which has a 10-pound mandatory hydration rule, and that the fight was not taking place in a jurisdiction where such restrictions are standard.

“That’s all it was said. ‘We’ll take the fight, but he has to do the rehydration clause,'” Zayas said. “Our reaction was, ‘We’re not going to do that. It doesn’t make sense.’ “We’re not fighting for the IBF, and we’re not fighting in London. no need. “

Vondola, who will weigh in at 154 pounds, has long been a topic of conversation, a claim that’s notable considering he’s one of the biggest fighters in the division.

Once that clause entered the conversation, negotiations stalled and never recovered.

Zayas did not speculate on why the request was made, but his reaction suggested he was not prepared to negotiate on the matter. From his perspective, it’s a condition that closes the door to combat before the discussion gets beyond the basics.

This is a common outcome in modern boxing. Quarrels often break down before a contract is signed, not over wallets or dates but over details like weight limits and rehydration clauses that quietly determine whether a fight will ever make it out of the planning stages.