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Jon Lewis, Chairman of the Mississippi Athletic Commission, provided ********* the following exclusive statement regarding the controversy surrounding the selection of the officials for the two WBC title fights (WBC lightweight champion Timothy Bradley vs. Edner Cherry and the WBC featherweight eliminator bout featuring Elio Rojas vs. Victor Velazquez) that are scheduled for this Saturday at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi:
Mississippi law states that it is a felony if anyone acts or attempts to act as a judge in a boxing event without being licensed by the State Athletic commission. I strongly advise the WBC not to interfere with the State of Mississippi in regards to the judging of our boxing events. If the WBC interferes, we will take that action very seriously and we will take the appropriate action. It is in the Muhammad Ali Act that the commission approves the officials, (therefore) we are backed by federal law. The ABC also states that it is jurisdiction of the commission to appoint the officials and they (the Commission) may consult with the sanctioning bodies.
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We have two veteran officials who will be officiating the Bradley-Cherry bout who have a lot of experience officiating both contests here in the U.S. and internationally - Bill Clancy (referee) and Gary Ritter (judge). They have worked many title bouts both here and internationally.
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There is big money involved in these fights and we (the Commission) do not believe that a sanctioning organization should select the officials in such as a manner as suggested by Jose Sulaiman. Why would a sanctioning body have such a strong desire to control the officials? From my perspective, you have to ask what is their motivation? Do they want a specific outcome?
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It is going to be a good night for everyone and everyone will be well pleased with officiating!
Mississippi law states that it is a felony if anyone acts or attempts to act as a judge in a boxing event without being licensed by the State Athletic commission. I strongly advise the WBC not to interfere with the State of Mississippi in regards to the judging of our boxing events. If the WBC interferes, we will take that action very seriously and we will take the appropriate action. It is in the Muhammad Ali Act that the commission approves the officials, (therefore) we are backed by federal law. The ABC also states that it is jurisdiction of the commission to appoint the officials and they (the Commission) may consult with the sanctioning bodies.
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We have two veteran officials who will be officiating the Bradley-Cherry bout who have a lot of experience officiating both contests here in the U.S. and internationally - Bill Clancy (referee) and Gary Ritter (judge). They have worked many title bouts both here and internationally.
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There is big money involved in these fights and we (the Commission) do not believe that a sanctioning organization should select the officials in such as a manner as suggested by Jose Sulaiman. Why would a sanctioning body have such a strong desire to control the officials? From my perspective, you have to ask what is their motivation? Do they want a specific outcome?
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It is going to be a good night for everyone and everyone will be well pleased with officiating!