by Chris Robinson
When I first talked to Mustafa Ameen, known to some as the ‘mystery man’ seen ringside at last month’s Amir Khan-Lamont Peterson junior welterweight title fight, I could tell that he had a lot on his mind and was fighting to hold his true thoughts back.
Ameen has been under scrutiny for the past several day as he has been accused by Khan of interfering with judges in his December 10th battle with Peterson in Washington, D.C. Khan would end up losing a split-decision verdict to Peterson in a very spirited affair and is now eyeing a January 18th hearing in New Jersey to appeal the decision.
Ameen and I first corresponded over the weekend and at the time he pointed out that he wanted to reserve much of his comments for the formal hearing next week, as he is expected to be present to state his case for his ringside actions during the fight. What Ameen did point out was that there was misinformation floating around in regards to his character.
As the hours have gone by, Ameen has felt the need to come forward yet again, this time taking particular offense to some comments left by Freddie Roach on Sunday, January 8th.
Speaking to Richard Conway of the BBC Sport, Roach claimed that he knows Ameen and that he has had him removed from the U.S. Olympic Training Center in the past, stating that he told the coaches ‘There’s no need for him to be here’.
Ameen was baffled when he heard those remarks from Roach and could only keep his silence for so long, as he pointed out that the esteemed trainer’s allegations are completely unfound, having even recently met with Olympic Team head coach Joe Zanders and Hal Adonis, the President of USA Boxing, in which both men apologized to him upon hearing the news.
Ameen, who is known in boxing circles for his work with aspiring amateur heavyweight Michael Hunter, talked further about his history with Roach, both in and out of the Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles, and even has a certain offer in mind that he would like to extend to the four-time Trainer of the Year if he is open to it.
Continue reading for more thoughts from Mustafa Ameen…
The beginning of the whole episode…
“Just as I accurately predicted and stated to you, that slowly the truth would manifest itself and come out and it most certainly has begun. And really, the whole story, if you really continue to refer back to the beginning of this whole episode, you can see that the facts have dramatically changed. Just today, there’s just been so many developments, but let’s start with yesterday.”
Defending himself against Freddie Roach…
“I realize that what I’m getting ready to say is kind of difficult, because, how do you defend yourself if Santa Clause makes false allegations against you. But Mr. Roach has stated in interviews that I was, for one, that he had me thrown out of the Olympic training center, and ironically enough, due to circumstances, just to show you how when you are right that things work in your favor all the time, and yesterday the head coach of USA Boxing, the head coach of the Olympic Team, Mr. Joe Zanders, and the president of USA Boxing, Hal Adonis, happened to be in Los Angeles. We had a meeting and I told them, I displayed my dissatisfaction at the inaccurate statements about being thrown out of the Olympics center in any point of my life. I’ve been there many times with Michael Hunter and I had reason to spend a lot time there and I have never been thrown out the training center. Mr. Adonis and the head coach apologized and absolutely stated that it was news to them. And they were equally perplexed, as I am, that incident happened. Had there been a reason for me to be removed, they would certainly have known about it. In actuality, Mr. Roach would have needed their authority to have done so, because , once again, he’s not the head coach or in charge there, as opposed to what the public perception may be. Like I said, of course I have the dubious task of defending myself against false allegations by Santa Clause, as he’s perceived in America.”
Giving Roach an opportunity to step forward…
“I definitely don’t want to tarnish Mr. Roach’s deserved accolades and his reputation and the things that he does for boxing but at the same time I can’t’ mindlessly sit by and allow things to be said that, from him or anyone else, that are categorically have no truth. You’re hearing this part for the first. I consider those allegations slanderous, and I would like to give him an opportunity to retract some of the things he said, especially those things that attack my character.”
The nature of Ameen’s work with the IBF…
“Whatever questions anybody has about what happened that night will be addressed at the hearing. The things about my character, it comes out that Mr. Roach says I had no credentials, that I’m not with the IBF. Well the IBF today issued a press statement. I don’t know if you are aware of that. The IBF issued a press statement and they revealed the nature of my work with them. I specifically never sought compensation and never will I accept a nickel for the work that I do, the charitable work that I do, on behalf of the IBF. I pay my own expenses, I’ve never taken one penny, one nickel, nor do I have the expectations that I will ever do so. But it looks like all the allegations are beginning to unravel and Mr. Roach’s strong statement that I had no ties to the IBF, well I worked in anonymity.”
Not looking for an internet war…
“And I will never even talk about some of the great ex-champions and fighters that I’ve been able to provide assistance to. And I’m never going to do that. I don’t want to get into a long, drawn-out, media, internet, type of war with the esteemed Freddie Roach, but like I said, I have to defend myself and if I have to clear myself in a court of law, and turn this into a civil matter, that’s exactly what it will be. And I have no recourse but to do so. I'm giving him a shot to do the professional thing and apologize. I understand he may have said things in the heat of passion and if so, I will forget it was said. If not, my legal team and I will attempt to resolve it though the legal system. I will take the high road if Freddie Roach will simply do what's right."
Not who the media pointed me out to be…
“But in either case, the turn of events, it’s really amazing and I’m beginning to hear from people in England who are apologizing for some of the cruel, obscene, profane statements and the threats that have been made against me. And they’re beginning to see that perhaps I’m not that guy that the media and Amir Khan and Golden Boy have pointed me out to be. It looks like, matter of fact, according to articles in the New York paper, that I’m well known in boxing. That I’m not a creep that came into a fight to fix a fight and would never do so.”
Knowing Freddie Roach in the past…
“I have another interesting story to tell you, real quickly. I have a dear friend, his names is Stuart Bandman. He’s been a longtime friend of mine for over twenty years. He’s a very well-known financial advisor and he’s very successful in assisting people and managing their money. He’s Freddie Roach’s financial manager. He manages Freddie Roach’s money. He’s a friend of mine and approximately, it goes to show you why it’s so perplexing, and I didn’t even think of this initially, but approximately four of five months ago, at Mr. Bandman’s invitation, my personal friend, myself, Mr. Bandman and Mr. Hunter went out to a very exclusive restaurant in Beverly Hills, California, and we sat and talked with Freddie after him being named the consultant to the Olympic Team, to familiarize ourselves with Michael Hunter and to talk about moving forward.”
Knowing that something was wrong…
“We actually had a two-hour dinner, a very pleasant dinner. I personally have no personal problems with Mr. Roach, I have high esteem, I want to be clear about that, high esteem for his work and the results of his work. But this particular evening we sat, we ate dinner, and we talked boxing and it was a very fine night. I was really puzzled that they said that the Amir Khan camp didn’t know who I was. All of sudden, forty-eight hours, I’m identified as Mustafa Ameen. I know that there was something wrong because, I wouldn’t call it a relationship at this point, because of my having been around Freddie.”
Stopping by the Wild Card…
“And not to mention that I take Michael Hunter to his gym, I’ve been there almost all year sparring specifically with Lateef Kayode, the undefeated cruiserweight that Freddie manages and trains. I’ve been in Alabama, for the Olympic trials, Freddie being present. We were all taken out dinner. I’ve been in team meetings with Freddie, so for him to categorically, and for the camp to say I was a mystery man, right away I knew there wasn’t something right. Because this isn’t, as someone wrote, this isn’t my ‘first rodeo’.”
Offering a reward to Roach…
“He also stated that he had me removed from his gym and he also stated that I’m known for going around, talking to other fighters, and I even do it in his gym, only that I don’t do it with his fighters because I know, in his words, not to cross ‘the boundaries’. I didn’t cross that boundary. He portrayed a false image of me as one of the gym rats that are in every city in America. I can offer you, matter of fact, I will offer a $1,000 reward to Mr. Freddie Roach or the charity of his choosing, for every fighter that he can name that I have ever talked to. And the total is zero. I have no recruitment program, I am not interested, because I am going to have a great champ. That was another untruth by Santa Clause that I had to unprove."
Exclusively with Michael Hunter…
“Every fighter that I have ever approached, every fighter that knows me knows that I exclusively work with Michael Hunter, who I believe is going to be a great heavyweight champion. I specifically, in all of my years of boxing with Matthew Saad Muhammad, when I ended my travels and relationship with Muhammad Ali, I have not ever even attempted to manage or get involved with a fighter. I was done with the business, and it wasn’t for Michael Hunter and his unique ability and his special talent, I would not be in the business.”