L.A. Agency Says Chavez Will Leave Don King

Promoter Don King apparently has lost his grip on his Mexican boxing star, Julio Cesar Chavez.

A representative of Triad Artists, a Los Angeles entertainment agency, said Friday that the agency will announce next week that Chavez, the world lightweight champion with a 62-0 record, will be represented by Triad.

Michael Bass, who said he is a Los Angeles adviser to Chavez, said Triad will represent the boxer in commercial endorsements and entertainment opportunities, and will advise him on his boxing career.

“Chavez is a free agent,” Bass said. “His contract with King is not valid.

“He wants to be in complete charge of his career now, and he feels that under King he wasn’t.”

Bass also said that Chavez was angry at hearing after his lightweight unification bout with Jose Luis Ramirez last month at the Las Vegas Hilton that Ramirez, who lost, may have earned more money than he did.

“Julio is now under the impression that Ramirez earned $1.6 million for the Las Vegas fight,” Bass said. “And since he earned about $800,000, he’s not happy about that.”

King, who returned to Las Vegas Thursday after attending the World Boxing Council convention in Mexico City, would not comment on Chavez’s status.

King publicist Al Braverman, in New York, said: “Julio signed a 4-year contract with us 2 months ago that is valid in all respects.

“It covers promotional rights to Julio’s boxing career as well as his commercial endorsements. If anyone is saying anything to the contrary, it’s all lies. . . . Julio has been faithful and loyal to us, we have great rapport with him.”

Bass, who said Triad is negotiating for a major soft-drink endorsement deal for Chavez, said the King-Chavez contract is invalid on several points.

“Just to name one, the contract is in English,” he said. “Julio is (only now) learning English.”