WBA, WBA President Named In Mahmoud Charr’s Lawsuit Against Don King

Mahmoud Charr continues to push forward with his lawsuit against Don King. 

On Monday, an amendment was filed with the U.S. District Court, naming the World Boxing Association – as a whole – and president Gilberto Mendoza Jr as parties, who aided King, in the existing seven-count civil lawsuit, which was initially filed last August. 

“The WBA is one of four ratings associations in professional boxing. It is generally considered a corrupt organization,” Charr’s attorneys Jared Lopez and Patrick English wrote in a 91-page complaint, obtained by BoxingScene.com.  

“This is in large part due to the WBA’s practice of accepting payments and/or gifts from promoters and “fixers” in exchange for fraudulently improving the rankings of fighters. This pay-to-play scheme enables less talented or unqualified fighters to participate in more profitable bouts (including, in some cases, title bouts), which in turn increases the profits collected by their promoters and/or “fixers” who engage in these illicit back-door dealings with WBA officials.  

“These illicit deals are executed in many forms: In some cases, promoters and “fixers” make payments (or provide things of value) directly to WBA officials. In other instances, promoters and “fixers” will disguise such economic incentives as “donations” or “gifts” to third-parties, which in turn launder these incentives to WBA officials. Although Mendoza purports to take no salary or emoluments as president of the WBA, this is false: Mendoza is among the WBA officials who have and continue to receive economic incentives through illicit back-door deals with promoters and “fixers” participating in this scheme—this includes King and DKP.” 

The lawsuit stems from Charr’s allegation that King prevented the heavyweight’s ordered title consolidation with Trevor Bryan. It was scheduled for January 30 in Hollywood, Florida, but was cancelled. It was then rescheduled for this past January 30 in Warren, Ohio, but that also fell through. 

Charr, as a result, was stripped of his secondary version of the WBA heavyweight title. The Germany-based heavyweight was going to make $1,500,000 from the bout, according to the terms of a purse bid won by Don King Productions.  

Charr seeks to recover that as part of the seven counts filed, which amounts to an excess of $12,500,000: 

• Violation of the Muhammad Ali Act (Charr vs. King, DKP, Epic, WBA and Mendoza); 
•  Violation of the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act (Charr vs. King, DKP, Epic, WBA and Mendoza); 
• Breach of Contract—Promoter Agreement (Charr vs. DKP and Epic); 
• Breach of Contract—Purse Bid Agreement (Charr vs. DKP); 
• Tortious Interference With Business Relationship (Charr vs. DKP and King); 
• Breach of Contract—WBA Rules and Decrees (Charr vs. WBA) 
• Civil Conspiracy (Charr vs. King, DKP, WBA and Mendoza) 

“After winning the $2 million purse bid for the rescheduled Charr/Bryan Bout and realizing the bid was excessive, King and DKP intentionally and unjustifiably interfered with Charr’s business relationship with the WBA to prevent the fight from going forward, first, by refusing to sign the standard WBA Bout Contract as was required for the fight to occur,” the document read.  

“Additionally, DKP and King intentionally and unjustifiably interfered with Charr’s business relationship with the WBA by coercing Charr into signing the noncompliant DKP Bout Contract, which violated WBA rules and contained terms prohibited by the Muhammad Ali Act, 15 U.S.C. § 6307b(b).” 

Charr demands a jury trial for all counts.