Bowe’s Handlers Faulted for Riot

The July 11 postfight riot at New York’s Madison Square Garden could cost boxer Riddick Bowe $1 million and his manager, Rock Newman, and rival cornerman, Lou Duva, a lot more.

Officials of the New York State Athletic Commission have ruled that Bowe must forfeit $1 million of his $5-million purse for that night’s fight against Andrew Golota. The commission has also temporarily suspended the licenses of Newman and Duva and is recommending a permanent suspension.

Bowe, Newman and Duva have 20 days to appeal.

Commission officials are pointing fingers at Newman and the other members of Bowe’s entourage, saying they “initiated, contributed to and exacerbated” the riot that left 22 people--including eight policemen--injured and resulted in 17 arrests.

Former heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson, head of the New York commission, told the Associated Press that the riot was “nothing short of an outrage and a debacle.”

The trouble began after the fight was stopped in the seventh round when Golota was disqualified for throwing his fourth low blow. The heavily favored Bowe, a former heavyweight champion, appeared to be losing at the time.

Members of Bowe’s corner flooded the ring, approximately 20 strong, to confront Golota over the low blows, and each side started throwing blows of its own.

Whatever the outcome of the hearing, Bowe will be allowed to continue fighting in New York.

“The commission felt that the $1 million forfeiture will really make him [Bowe] think twice about the type of company he keeps,” said commission spokeswoman Gwenn Lee.

Newman was unavailable for comment.

Duva, 74, is being disciplined for making contact with referee Wayne Kelly while protesting the disqualification. He denied any wrongdoing through his lawyer, Patrick English. English said that Duva, who was briefly hospitalized after the riot, was trying to protect Golota from the onrushing members of the Bowe camp when he inadvertently made contact with Kelly.

Lee said the commission’s ruling was based on the accounts of witnesses, police and tapes of the event.

A member of another state commission, who requested anonymity, said there would have to be concrete evidence showing Newman plotted and orchestrated the riot to make a permanent suspension stick.

Even then, Newman’s case would go the grievance committee of the Assn. of Boxing Commissions before any decision would be made by other states on whether to recognize the suspension.