Source : ABC NEWS
Matt Rose has defended the integrity of his company after No Limit Boxing pin-up Nikita Tszyu’s controversial draw with Ben Mahoney, who claimed any rematch would not be happening on their card.
Wednesday’s IBF super welterweight world-title eliminator was a terrific back-and-forth between two unbeaten Australians that left more questions than answers.
The bout finished in a split draw after three wildly different scorecards.
Experienced judge Phillip Holliday, who beat Jeff Fenech in a distinguished career of his own, awarded the fight to Tszyu 117-111, effectively giving the bookies’ favourite nine of the 12 rounds.
But fellow official Sabrina Kerr scored it for Mahoney, 115-113, and the third judge, Carl Zappia, scored the fight a 114-114 draw.
Jeers followed from the pro-Mahoney crowd, who backed their local hope as he defied heavy fire through the middle rounds to finish stronger and leave Tszyu’s face battered.
In dramatic post-fight scenes, Tszyu conceded Mahoney had been the better boxer while No Limit boss George Rose took offence to comments from Mahoney’s corner, declaring, “I wanna slap the s*** out of someone” before challenging anyone booing “to meet him out front and we’ll sort it out”.
Tszyu walked back his assessment in the press conference, explaining he was simply disappointed he had not been more clinical.
George Rose (pictured) was left fuming after the split-decision draw between Tszyu and Mahoney. (Getty Images: Matt King)
Tensions flared further when Mahoney’s promoter Mick Francis later said he would seek an official review of Holliday’s scoring.
Mahoney, who fought to a controversial draw on his last fight on a No Limit card, poured his heart out.
“We’re going to have to look at our [rematch] options; I’m open to it but it sure as hell isn’t going to be on another No Limit card,” Mahoney, who had otherwise shown great respect to Tszyu and his team, said.
“I don’t want to throw any officials or judges under the bus. But athletes put their lives on the line for this. I just had a baby and have been in the gym for eight weeks of 14 weeks of her life.
“You come in here, your opponent believes you won and you get a draw. It’s a hard pill to swallow.“
Francis, a rival to No Limit who also boasts Jai Opetaia and Justis Huni in his stable, said they “hadn’t heard the end of it”.
“Phil Holliday, I don’t know what he was watching … those scores were way wide and I’m going to make an official inquiry about it because that’s not right,” he said.
Rose did not front the press conference, leaving co-founder brother Matt and manager Glen Jennings to flank Tszyu.
He confirmed there had been a “couple of comments made in the ring” that triggered George and welcomed a review of the scoring in the belief it would favour his man.
“I’d be happy for them to challenge because I don’t think the scorecard of 115-113 was right at all,” Rose said.
Ben Mahoney (left) and Nikita Tszyu (right) were gracious towards each other after their split-decision draw. (Getty Images: Chris Hyde)
“And that would mean Nikita wins the fight.
“But we’ll accept the draw. At the end of the day, I’m not going to complain about the 115-113. That’s the decision they made and that’s how they saw it.”
Rose, whose company holds exclusive broadcast rights with Fox Sports and Main Event to Australian fights, did bite though when told of Mahoney’s claim he wouldn’t meet Tszyu on a card run by them again.
“What, it’s going to be on a Tasman card in front of 200 people?” he fired back.
“Who would stage it then?
“Please don’t try to diminish what we do in the sport. The shows we put on are the best in the country.
“If people are going to be critical of judging, it has nothing to do with us whatsoever.”
AAP
