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madjack
19-08-2002, 12:25 AM
Misunderstanding, says Kostya

By PAUL KENT

14aug02

Daily Telegraph

KOSTYA TSZYU claims he and trainer Johnny Lewis have not had a written contract since they split from promoter Bill Mordey.
"But I learn in Australia that everything has to be written on paper," said Tszyu, who later was forced to share a $7 million payout to Mordey with Sky Channel.

He said the "misunderstanding" with Lewis came about because he was unaware of what Lewis's official cut from his purse was supposed to be.

"The next time (we see each other) we're going to sit down and we're going to write an agreement out. It should have been done in the first place," Tszyu said.

Tszyu denied there was a similar issue between him and Lewis last year, saying he has never received any personal complaint from Lewis over his payments.

He confirmed that he had asked Rockdale PCYC police sergeant Jim Duignan for free rent, saying, "I believe it will help raise much more money if you do it differently.

"I believe we can raise much more money for the club. I do a lot of things for the charity."

He also confirmed that the offer to dump his long used Reyes gloves and sign with rival Everlast was because it was "a great, great, deal".

"I spoke to the people at Reyes, not Ray Fleming, but head office, and they couldn't match it.

"But Ray is a great man."

Tszyu said he was upset about the continuing rumours of unrest between him and Lewis which have fuelled the boxing world for some time.

He said it was time to fix it once and for all.

"I believe the best scenario we can do is sit down and talk about it," he said. "I spoke to (Mitrevski) late this afternoon.

"Again there is nothing to be sorted out, it's a misunderstanding as far as I'm concerned and that's why we're going to sit down.

"Because we've never really had a chance to sit down."

While any deal agreed upon will deal with future fight payments, Tszyu would not comment on whether he would reimburse Lewis and Mitrevski for money they claim they are owed for past fights.

"I'll sit down with Johnny and anyone else and we'll talk," he said.

Tszyu could not contact Lewis yesterday but Mitrevski said last night Tszyu had arranged a meeting for next Tuesday.

madjack
19-08-2002, 12:27 AM
Lewis: Pay me or I quit

By PAUL KENT

14aug02

Daily Telegraph

KOSTYA TSZYU has called for an urgent meeting with trainer Johnny Lewis to prevent the breakdown of one of Australia's greatest sporting partnersips.
Tszyu has been stung by rumours that he owes Lewis in the vicinity of $1 million for unpaid fees from his past fights, claiming there has been a "misunderstanding" between him and the champion trainer.

He claims he and Lewis have had only a "verbal agreement" but now it is time to sit down with Lewis and chief second Peter Mitrevski and work out exactly how future payments will be allocated.

Asked whether he will backpay Lewis and Mitrevski, who claims he is also owed money, Tszyu said: "I do not discuss my business in the papers."

Lewis is alleged to have been short-changed more than $300,000 from Tszyu's last fight and insiders say he is yet to receive full payment on Tszyu's fights since he split with promoter Bill Mordey.

It is believed the shortfall runs to close to $1 million.

Lewis, who suffered a recent financial setback, is said to be deeply upset about Tszyu's apparent abandonment.

Contacted last night the trainer was reluctant to comment, saying only, "I'm hoping that the problem can fix itself up."

Insiders say the situation has become almost untenable in camp, and not just with Lewis.

Others are also threatening to walk out on the champion.

Chief second Peter Mitrevski said last night he was taking legal advice on recouping unpaid wages he claims from more than a dozen fights.

Mitrevski, who also does Tszyu's laundry while away, claims he has never been fully paid since Tszyu walked out on Mordey.

"He has short-changed me for the last fight and the fight before that and for about 10 fights he hasn't paid me at all," Mitrevski said. "I'm supposed to get $5200 a fight.

"The last fight I got $4000, the fight before that I got $4500, the fight before that $4750. Most of the others he hasn't paid me at all."

Tszyu's grasp on a dollar has spread as far as turning his back on his long-time glove supplier, Reyes distributor Ray Fleming.

Fleming said he supplied the fighter with tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment over 10 years, even though he didn't ever sign Tszyu to an exclusive deal.

"Right from the start Johnny and Bill said he was a good bloke and so I didn't bother," Fleming said. "Then I walked into his gym the other day and he had Everlast gear everywhere."

Last year Tszyu asked for his gym's lease at Rockdale PCYC to be rent-free after he donated three items to a club charity auction that raised $22,000.

Rockdale PCYC's Sergeant Jim Diugnan said he was currently negotiating a new lease with Tszyu and so was unwilling to comment.

Tszyu was brought to Australia by Bill Mordey after he won the 1991 amateur world championships.

It was fairytale stuff until Tszyu won the IBF super-lightweight title in 1995 and announced he was dumping Mordey, driving a wedge into one of the best loved sporting friendships in Australia.

Lewis was forced to decide between the pair even while many fight fans were abandoning Tszyu, saying his treatment of Mordey was "un-Australian".

madjack
21-08-2002, 02:12 AM
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