By Michael Marley

Despite Alfredo "Perro" Angulo's  tangled legal status, the Mexican fighter's manager, former Yale University policeman Mike Criscio is not ready to throw in the towel.

I revealed exclusively Tuesday that HBO's Legal Department had circulated a letter advising they would not show any Angulo bout due to his lack of legitimate status in the United States.

Criscio conceded the situation had "blindsided" both he and promoter Big Gary Shaw.

"The kid is upset, naturally," Criscio told me Friday. "But I am working through political and legal channels every way that I can on his behalf. He's not a criminal. He's not a drug dealer. He's not a murder or a molestor.

"The kid has always paid his taxes here. He's a boxer who has paid his taxes. I'm not abandoning him. It's not a crime to be a Mexican fighter who came here to improve to his life. Hopefully, we can get anything, a temporary visa or something else, so he can remain in America and keep fighting."

The boxing seas have been churning lately for Criscio, who owns check cashing and pawn shops around New Haven. He was pushed out as manager of former light heavyweight champ Chadwick Dawson and now Dawson has taken on former adviser and rap music mogul James Prince as his de facto manager in a settlement of a lawsuit.

"No doubt, I'm continuing my legal fight on that front," Criscio said. "I am going full tilt on that. If I was there, I'd have made sure Chad had a proper training camp and everything else and he would not have lost (in Montreal) to Jean Pascal. If was there, with Chad, he'd have won that fight."

As far as Angulo, who was once removed from the USA for illegal entry, Criscio hopes the political climate will cool on the hot button issue of immigration.

"I hope we can find some officials, some politicians, who will listen," Criscio said. "The kid is not any kind of a crook."

Angulo, age 28, owns a 19-1 with 16 knockouts.

Criscio said Angulo is still living in Los Angeles as his career mess hopefully gets sorted out.

Angulo comes from the border town of Mexicali.

Michael Marley is the national boxing examiner for examiner.com. To read more stories by Michael Marley, Click Here .