Hamburg, 28th of January– It was just a formality. Everything Mahmoud Charr needed to enter the US and defend his WBA Heavyweight Title against American Trevor Bryan was a P1-Visa. A visa specifically created for professional athletes to compete abroad and earn money while doing so. But in order to receive this, a signed contract by Don King Productions was needed to proof that the event on January 29th was actually taking place. But still to this day DKP has not sent a signed contract, nor did they show evidence of a booked venue. In the end the US consulate in Frankfurt could not hand out the visa without documents as proof.
From the start it became crystal clear that Don King Productions were never interested in making Charr vs. Bryan happen in the first place. They never took care of visas, flights, hotel booking or the necessary medicals. In fact, it was Charr and EC Boxing trying to arrange all of these things, even though DKP were responsible as stated in the original contract. Their petition to the WBA to make Charr „Champion in recess“ and get their own fighter (Bermane Stiverne) in as a replacement only further proofs the foul play happening.
„At the end of the day we did everything we could. We just hope the WBA acts wisely now, so that Mahmoud can finally step back in the ring to defend his title“, Charr‘s promoter Erol Ceylan (EC Boxing) states.