Stabroek News
June 10, 2001

Nelson Fernandez, manager of World Boxing Assocation welterweight champion Andrew Lewis, said yesterday that a law suit filed by promoter Don King is without merit and will be thrown out when heard in a New York Court later this year.

In April King, through his company Don King Productions sued Lewis' promoter Top Rank for a reported US$20M claiming that DKP has a valid contract with the WBA champion.

King also sued Lewis and his manager for a total of $US795, 000 also for breach of contract. "Don King is a sore loser," Fernandez said when contacted by Stabroek Sport yesterday.

Lewis' manager is adamant that there is no justification for King's suit. "The suit has no merit and will be thrown out."

According to Fernandez, King, who has promoted over 300 world championship bouts, had sent a contract to Lewis last year but after careful review the champion declined to sign.

"How could you have a contract without a signature," Fernandez asked. Adding strength to his argument Lewis' manager pointed out that HBO, which has televised Lewis' two championship bouts, had inquired about the suit before Lewis first defence against Larry Marks.

"They came to me and I gave them all the papers. Their (HBO) lawyers examined the papers and also said that the suit had no merit. That's how we were given the go ahead to fight Marks," Fernandez claimed.

The case will be heard in a New York State court in September. "We have sent all our papers over to the judge. There is no merit in the suit. Andrew never did sign any contract. So Don King really has no case," Fernandez stressed.

Fernandez further argued that it is Don King who owes the Lewis camp US$13,000 for expenses incurred in the run up to last year's abandoned bout with James Page.

"He still owes us US$13,000 but on the advice of our attorneys we will not accept the money." "Don King is a sore loser. He sees now that we have a good promoter and wants a piece of the action."

Meanwhile, the champion returned to the USA on Thursday following a three week vacation here and is expected to return to training today. His manager said that Lewis will be at the Parris Gym in New Jersey from this afternoon.

Fernandez also declared that the planned fight in Guyana would not come off this year. According to Fernandez, organisers here requested the first week in August for the bout to be staged.

"We couldn't go with that because of the mandatory defence Andrew has," the manager said. Lewis is mandated to defend against WBA number one ranked Ricardo Mayorga.

The purse bid will be held tomorrow starting at a minimum of US$150,000. It means that the champion and challenger would split the purse 75-25 percent respectively contrary to the report of a US$150,000 minimum purse for Lewis in another section of the local media.

Fernandez, who has been in the business over 25 years, said that the Lewis/Mayorga bout will be staged on September 15 once the purse bid is won by Don King Productions. However, if Top Rank Inc. wins the bid the fight will be held one week earlier.