Popular boxing promoter Keith Bazilio has condemned the attack on Guyana's former world champion Andrew `Sixhead' Lewis by world famous American promoter Don King.

Following Lewis' loss of his World Boxing Association welterweight belt to Nicaraguan Ricardo Mayorga, King labelled Lewis an ingrate for severing ties with him after claiming to have supported the Guyanese for six years when he had nothing.

Lewis who won the world title in February 2001, angered King by linking up with the American's rival promoter Bob Arum who promoted the title fight which Lewis won by knockout over American James Page.

However, Bazilio said King's behaviour was unwarranted as Lewis had was not obligated to the American . The local promoter who is closely associated with Lewis, explained that the fighter was castigated because he did not renew a promotional contract with King. "Sixhead did nothing wrong. He never broke any contract. The only dealings he had with Don King was a promotional contract which expired before the James Page (world title) fight," Bazilio said. "He (Lewis) never had a managerial contract with Don King, so he (King) cannot say that he had done all the things he said he was doing for `Sixhead', Bazilio added.

He feels that King should not complain about anything because he was not fully honouring the terms of the contract which stipulated that the fighter get four fights a year over four years.

"He hardly got the full four fights except for one year and Sixhead did what any other fighter would do by accepting a better offer," said the promoter.

Bazilio explained that Arum made a better offer which included promoting the world title fight and two others which Lewis accepted.

According to Bazilio, King not only embarrassed Lewis with his televised statements, but the entire nation.

King compared Lewis to Page as fighters who had left him only to end up as losers.

The defeat was the first for Lewis who had become Guyana's first ever world champion.

Bazilio feels the fifth round technical knockout loss could have have been attributed to physical weakness for Lewis.

"If you are weak you lose everything. Sixhead had no rhythm, no focus or timing. He was not throwing punches the way we know he could, and with any power because he was weak.

Lewis was required to weigh twice before making the 147 pounds maximum, the first time in his career he had experienced that problem before a fight.

Bazilio advised that Lewis acquire a dietician because he feels the boxer's eating habits could have been a cause for the weight problem.

The promoter also feels that Lewis defence was inadequate for a fighter of Mayorga's style. "When you fight a swinger, you have to have you hands high all the time, not at your waist."

Bazilio also expressed disappointment with the withdrawal of the Guyana amateur team for the Caribbean championships.

The Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) had announced that fight problems had prevented the team from competing at the competition in Martinique this month.

However, Bazilio said the association could have done better to ensure that Guyana defend its senior category title at the championships and is calling for the resignation of the majority of the executives, including president K. Juman Yassin.

"Mr Yassin has done a lot for the sport but I think it is time for a change," Bazilio said.

There is a number of Under-16 boxers being prepared to fight at upcoming Olympics, who would have been in that team and I think everything should be done to help them, Bazilio said.

He suggests boxing personalities like former police commissioner Laurie Lewis and promoter Odinga Lumumba take up the challenge to help develop amateur boxing.