PRESS RELEASE: Guilty Boxing of Las Vegas disagrees with allegations made by representatives of Prawet Singwancha of Thailand, the World Boxing Association’s No. 1-ranked lightweight, Jay Hassman, vice president of Guilty Boxing, said Sunday.“Guilty Boxing most vehemently disagrees with these unfortunate and unfounded allegations,” said Hassman. 

      “If need be, Guilty Boxing is ready, willing and most able to respond in a prompt and timely manner in a court of competent jurisdiction,” said Hassman.

      Representatives for Singwancha alleged earlier this week that the Thai boxer was wrongfully denied a spot in a WBA lightweight title-elimination bout against Ebo Elder on a card promoted by Guilty Boxing Sept. 16 in Atlanta.

      Singwancha originally had been announced as one of the participants in the WBA 135-pound title-elimination bout, but later was replaced in lieu of that organization’s No. 2-ranked contender, Lakva Sim, when the Thai boxer was denied a visa to enter the United States.

      “Of course, Guilty Boxing wanted and intended to have Prawet fight in the title-elimination bout,” said Hassman.  “It’s only logical since he’s the No. 1 contender.

      “But what was unfortunate was his representatives’ demand that Prawet’s camp be granted six visas to come to the United States.

      “Guilty Boxing told them repeatedly that six was probably too many visas to expect to be issued in time for the Sept. 16 bout, and that four would be a more realistic and doable number.

      “Regretfully, Prawet’s representatives would not budge off six visas, and we know what the result of that was; all six visas were denied, thus, Prawet can’t come here and fight Sept. 16.”

     Sampson Lewkowicz, an international boxing figure based in the United States, confirmed he had offered free of charge his services to Singwancha’s representatives in an effort to obtain the required visas, but that overture was turned down, said Hassman.  Lewkowicz has facilitated the entry of numerous Thai boxers into the United States, most recently for Terdsak Jandaeng when he fought during August, 2005, in New York in a World Boxing Organization featherweight title-elimination bout.

      “We at Guilty Boxing feel terrible about what has transpired,” said Hassman.  “We already had expended time, effort and marketing budget with Prawet as part of the card.

      “But his representatives not only refused our offer of assistance but also to modify what Guilty Boxing thought was, and what turned out to be, an untenable number of visas.”