‘Moose’ wants to stop Potts from US

On Friday Lewis said he was unsure what licence Potts currently possessed but said he intended to issue a letter to the American Association of Boxing Commissioners soon to ensure that the promoter of Friday night’s card be suspended from operating in the United States.

If that should happen, it will mean that most local fighters under Potts will be prevented from plying their trade in the US.

Moose said the situation would ensure that Potts will only be allowed to enter the United States if he purchases his own ticket to see boxing but not in the capacity of manager, promoter or matchmaker.

The American’s decision came in the wake of an ongoing row with Potts over an internet and television contract.

This disagreement later escalasted into a shouting match on Friday night concerning five world title belts Lewis was to have brought from the US but failed to deliver to the three world champions crowned at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo.

On the night of the card Lewis claimed that Potts had reneged on an initial agreement for him to be the legitimate internet and television producer for the biggest boxing card ever to be held in Trinidad and Tobago.

At a press briefing at the Marriott Hotel last month, Lewis, a representative of Mizlou Productions in the United States, had promised to televise the night’s card to millions of viewers world wide.

Lewis said he was also disappointed with an agreement for him to provide five belts for the world title card last Friday.

"A contract was signed in mid- July with three payments to be made in intervals by ABC Boxing Promotions, but Potts has said that ABC Promotions does not exist and that the name of his company is the ABC Boxing Academy," Lewis said on Friday.

Lewis added that the sanctioning contract for the five world title fights was also made under the agreement with ABC Boxing Promotions.

He said he did not want the the women boxers to suffer and allowed the fights to go on.

"If a person signed for a company that does not exist, in most cases of international law and in American Law, it is fraud," Lewis said.

He said however that his priority was to provide for the boxers and the people of Trinidad and Tobago which also included the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and Gender Affairs.

Lewis claimed also that his directors had allowed the fights to go on as planned because a settlement was reached between his company and Potts for payments to be made on the night of the fights.

He claimed that 60 percent of the payment was not met on Friday and he became concerned with what was taking place.

The card featured in the main bout Trinidad-born Canadian resident Lisa "Bad News" Brown and American Jackie Chavez.

Brown afterwards made a plea for the belts to be given out and urged Potts and Lewis to resolve their differences so that the fighters could be rewarded.

However Lewis left the Mucurapo venue with all the belts and was interviewed by police officers at the Piarco International Airport the following morning.

Potts meanwhile, explained that his company had paid Moose Lewis for four belts with a promise to make the final payment on the night of the card.

He noted his company had deliberately witheld the payment of the fifth belt because of the late inclusion of the talented Giselle Salandy on the card. He claimed that Lewis should have provided the four belts that were paid for, but had instead decided to keep all.