Maryland Commission Lifts Lawson Suspension!

Back on May 20th, 2017 during the co-feature contest at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD, boxer Jose Uzcategui appeared to have defeated Andre Dirrell for the interim IBF Super Middleweight championship.  However, one of Uzcategui's punches hit Dirrell after the bell to end the eighth round.  The referee for the contest, Bill Clancy, disqualified Uzcategui for the infraction.

After the bout, Dirrell's cornerman and uncle, Leon Lawson, came across the ring and suckerpunched Uzcategui.  There were other altercations in the crowd during the confusion.  Three days later, the Maryland State Athletic Commission placed Lawson under indefinite suspension.

According to reports, the Maryland Commission recently lifted Lawson's suspension. Here is the email that Maryland Commission Executive Director Patrick Pannella sent to Fight Fax:

Please be advised that, effective immediately, the Maryland State Athletic Commission ("Commission") is lifting its current Indefinite Suspension (administrative  - imposed on May 23, 2017) of second (cornerman) Leon Lawson II as Mr. Lawson is complying with Commission requirements as related to Case No. MSAC-17-02 and as set forth and agreed upon via Consent Order. - Thank you. Best Wishes, Patrick'

 Uzcategui's camp is not happy with the commission's decision. “I am shocked by this action taken by the Maryland Commission and its Executive Director Pat Pannella. This thug Lawson should never be allowed to work in boxing anywhere in the world and especially in Maryland where his violent actions took place,” said advisor Sean Gibbons on behalf of Team Uzcategui.

Gibbons gave even stronger comments to Steve Kim of BoxingScene.com:

"When I saw it - and I had it forwarded to me by a person - the state of Maryland didn't even have the decency to let (Jose) Uzcategui know, me know or anyone from his team know that they were letting this guy off suspension, which is insane.

(Jose) feels like he was a victim and now the wounds open again. Maryland is again victimizing him, they did nothing properly with this guy. I'm just beside myself, I'm sick, Patrick Pannella, someone should punch him right in the mouth and then go do a years worth of whatever they do and then come back off suspension. I wish I could punch Patrick Pannella right in the mouth because he's a moron.

''And the state of Maryland is the most embarrassing I've ever seen. How can you let somebody - a licensed cornerman - physically assault a boxer, potentially end his career and then basically take no punishment other than a year suspension? We don't even know what he did to get off suspension.

"He never tried to at least say he was sorry to Uzcategui. Maryland is the biggest laughingstock show I've ever been to. In my 30 years in boxing I would advise everyone to stay away from Patrick Pannella and Maryland."

Pannella has not made a comment but sent the following statement through the Commission's communications office:

"The Maryland Athletic Commission is deeply committed to maintaining the highest safety standards relative to the regulation of combative sports for both its licensees and the public at large. It is within this context that the commission sought to address Mr. Lawson’s unruly conduct. Mr. Gibbons has confused the criminal court system with that of the commission, and in doing so has made inaccurate statements regarding Mr. Lewis’ consent order, as well as unfairly and inaccurately blaming Executive Director Patrick Pannella for the commission's determination. The commission’s consent order demonstrates Maryland’s tough stance on unsportsmanlike conduct and criminal actions committed within our jurisdiction. We stand by our decision regarding Mr. Lawson and the process by which that decision was reached. Now, as before, Maryland supports the boxing industry through fair but assertive actions that protect our competitors, licensees, and fans."

The World Boxing Council's and the World Boxing Association's indefinite suspension against Lawson still stands.  Uzcategui would go on to defeat Dirrell in a second bout by ninth-round TKO on March 2nd in Brooklyn, NY to claim the interim IBF Super Middleweight title.  Uzcategui is scheduled to have a non-title bout on September 28th in Oakland, CA.