In a battle creating the anticipation of Pacquiao vs. Mayweather (not really), Lenny Dykstra was set to take on fellow Major League Baseball bad boy Jose Canseco. However, the main attraction of Saturday’s Celebrity Fight Night never was, as Dykstra reportedly pulled out of the match late.
According to Celebrity Fight Night officials, Dykstra was paid $5,000 Thursday, agreeing to face off against his ‘nemesis’ Jose Canseco. Apparently Dykstra begged officials to let him fight Canseco, who Lenny said had ruined his career “by spreading lies”. Allowing the late change, Celebrity Fight Night replaced Canseco’s former challenger Tareq Salahi, the guy who party crashed the White House, with Dykstra.
Earlier in the week, Dan Herman, Dykstra’s business manager, told reporters that Dykstra was fighting “for his good name in baseball”. Herman admitted that Dykstra had been turned upside down, but it was “mainly because of snitches” like Canseco. Herman considers Canseco just one of the “many rats” that have diminished Dykstra’s career.
Then, just before the fights were supposed to begin last night, word came out that Dykstra notified promoters that he wasn’t coming. This move on Dykstra’s part without consulting Herman caused the business manager to cut ties with his client. Herman told Philly.com that he “grew up idolizing Lenny Dykstra but it was all a lie”.
Philly.com reporter Dan Gross tried to reach out to Dykstra for comment, but was unable to get in touch with the former Phillie. John Bolaris, a Philadelphia meteorologist, has been friends with Dykstra for 15 years and said a few days ago that ‘Nails’ was never actually scheduled to fight. Gross later spoke with another friend of Dykstra’s who confirmed that Lenny never signed on to fight Canseco and didn’t receive a penny from Celebrity Fight Night.
It’s another embarrassing episode in the long list of sad stories surrounding Dykstra, who is currently staying in an LA rehab facility.