European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 5, 1981, Darmstadt, Hesse                                February 1981 the stars and stripes Page 21 Ali enters tight promotion muddle new York a one manager claims to be Muhammad a is in the picture and the plot thickened with the possible reappearance of the main pro Moter of an important boxing show threat ened by charges of a million Bank the latest twist occurred tuesday night when a Man identified by los Angeles sportscaster Bud Furillo As promoter Harold Smith called Furillo and said he was innocent of the embezzlement charges and would return to los Angeles in sure it was him Furillo said after the caller told him the fraud could be much bigger than million and said he received million from the Bank which he thought was a credit Smith is chairman of Muhammad a professional one of three maps officials named in an embezzlement suit filed monday by Wells Fargo National Bank of but John an Fri spokesman in los said we have no warrant for Smiths and there fore we have no desire to talk to Smith is free to travel wherever he our investigation is mainly at the a appeared tuesday at Madison Square site of a 23 boxing show that is Rich in purses and Talent but it jeopardy because of the Wells Fargo Law de an attorney representing said at a news conference that Ali had been asked whether he would make the transition from boxing to promotion and take Over the show if All the pieces could be put the Champ was sym in going to be a promoter the we might Start in this said but he in not putting up any easily beaten by Larry Holmes in a bid to become heavyweight Champion for a fourth had been expected to fight John Gardner of Britain for maps if he could obtain a License in puerto before the Ali i accused Smith says he fled for his life los Angeles up boxing promoter Harold Smith dropped a Bombshell into the investigation of an alleged embezzlement from Wells Fargo Bank tuesday accusing Bank officials of trying to kill him and saying the real amount of the theft is million to Smith called Bud Furillo of Kab shortly before 7 and said he had come Back to the United states from where he said he had fled in fear of his life after the Story of the embezzlement investigation involving accounts in the name of Muhammad Ali professional sports Smith is chairman of the Board of which Ali says paid him a fee for use of his name but Over which he has no who has talked to Smith Sev eral times said there was absolutely no doubt in his mind that the caller was Harold in doing All right now that my fam ily is All Smith i had to leave there Switzerland under they were holding my son for a but now that they Smiths family Are in a Safe place i decided to come Back and i should arrive late tonight or to Morrow to get even with some of the things weve been so wrongly accused i had to do it this Way because weve been accused of embezzling which they put into our to the but we did not get the Money per we were under the impression we were getting a million line of credit in sections of million Ive Learned were not talking about Mil were talking about million that going reach at least 15 Bank managers and about 20 differ ent officers in about 20 different Banks throughout California for Wells Early Wells Fargo vice president George Caulfield said in a Telephone we categorically deny having any knowledge whatsoever of losses in excess of we find preposterous and totally implausible Harold Smiths statement that default Tion amounting to million or More is involved and that High officials of the Bank Are Bank depositors and Bank customers Are not affected by this in any he Furillo reported that Smith told i know there out to try to Stop me because they tried to kill me and my family before i who is Harold asked furl Well you can Start at the Miracle mile District of Wells Fargo said what Ive Learned is there is million or million involved Over a period of Over eight or nine years and we were used As and by taking my son and making me Promise to leave the country which i take my family to safety we Haven done anything wrong and Muhammad Ali Hast done anything we were the Only reason i came Back Here is to get the record straight and to turn Over some documents to aint i dont need at the conference he in going to stay out of the but i Haven in leaving Here much More optimistic than i have been in the last two Dennis co manager of 1 ranked heavyweight Gerry said after a second Day of meetings in an Effort to save All or part of the big card featuring Cooney Ken Norton and three world title there seems to be some head in not telling you anything has been finalized or that anything is which has raised questions in boxing circles for months about the source of its paid Ali a promotional fee for the use of his it has no direct connection with the former three time heavyweight Sam president of Tiffany promo scheduled to co promote the 23 said Ali wants to help out the promo Tion but his financial backing is Annec who attended meetings with maps president Sammie who has been named in the Wells Fargo said a deadline for saving the show is Many boxing people were beginning to doubt whether the card could be at least All of Emanuel manager of Tommy who is to defend the world boxing association welterweight title against Wilfred reportedly does not want to renegotiate his fighters million Pur Benitez is supposed to get Jack who represents reportedly has said he wont go Down More than from Norton Cooney is supposed to get and Rappaport has said he is Only interested in getting the Best Price the other fights supposed to be on the show Are Matthew Saad Muhammad and Eddie Mustafa million for the Universal Light heavyweight and Wilfredo in de sense of the world boxing Council Junior featherweight title against Mike Ron Davis of san Diego is guarded by the kicks Bill Cartwright clippers Edge new York 10198 in Madison Square Garden Indiana picks up game on Milwaukee the United press International the Indiana pacers took a big step to Ward overtaking the Milwaukee Bucks tuesday but coach Jack Mckinney insists that is not a priority of that not my said Mckinney after the pacers marched into Milwaukee and topped the Bucks trimming the Bucks Lead in the Central division to were not trying to catch Mil there a Good team and deserve to be where they my goal is to make the and after that Well set some More i never set out to catch Mil Indiana systematic attack was led by Billy knights 24 Points and sparked by Aba Roundup Louis who poured in 10 of his 16 in the fourth with the score tied at 87 and seven minutes Orr hit a Basket to Start an 80 pacer the Bucks never Mckinney and Milwaukee coach Don Nelson agreed that Orr made the differ ence when it Mckinney said Orr has gotten an awful lot since the season be its just the Story of a Rookie starting out and getting the feel of the he is deceivingly he makes moves and constantly gets players off he has the ability to get shots off around the Bas Louie is a Good he was a very Nice Nelson said of the Rookie from the 29th player taken in the col lege draft last he always had ability and a fairly Good court he played really Marques Johnson led the Bucks with 27 Mickey Johnson had 16 and Brian Winters James Edwards added 18 for the elsewhere in the Aba kicks clippers 98 at new Bill Cartwright scored 33 Points and Michael Ray Richardson continued on Page 22