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Philippines, 09 Sep 2024 |
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SUAREZ SETTLES FOR SILVER; JUDGES' DECISIONS UNDER FIRE By Ronnie Nathanielsz PhilBoxing.com Fri, 03 Oct 2014  The last man standing in the Philippines boxing team?s quest for gold, lightweight Charly Suarez had to settle for a silver medal when he failed to duplicate his winning form in the Kazakhstan?s President Cup where he handily defeated Mongolia?s Otgondalai Dorjnyambuu, losing in his rematch with the tough Mongolian who deserved the victory. In an Asian Games boxing tournament rife with controversy, protests and accusations of fixed fights the Kazakhstan judge inexplicably scored the bout by a 30-27 shutout for Suarez who lost the first two rounds and was only able to mount a comeback in the final round. The judges from Argentina and Italy both saw it, 29-28, for Dorjnyambuu as we did in the coverage over TV 5. It was the third silver medal of the games for the Philippine contingent after Wushu bets Daniel Parantac and Jean Claude Saclag won silver medals. Three of the Filipino boxers who clearly won their bouts but lost the decisions on the scorecards of the judges, had to be content with bronze medals with Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga who lost a heartbreaker to hometown boxer Shin Jonghun who went on to give the Koreans their first gold medal with a shutout 30-27 unanimous decision over Zhakypov Birzhan of Kazakhstan. Bantamweight Mario Fernandez who out-boxed China?s Zhang Jiawei but lost in another seriously questionable decision also wound up with a silver medal although the Chinese fighter suffered the same fate when he hammered South Korea?s Sangmyeong Han only to react in disbelief after the Korean was awarded the decision. Middleweight Wilfredo Lopez who outclassed Jordan?s Alhindawi Odai Riyad Odel in the semi finals but again was robbed of a well-deserved victory with the Jordanian southpaw himself looking distraught after being rocked a few times by the power-punching Lopez. The Jordanian did a dance after stepping out of the ring, obviously delighted at his good fortune but, as expected, he was no match for Kazakhstan?s Alimkhanuly Zhanibek in the battle for gold. The judging in boxing and the actuations of the South Korean officials came under bitter attack from several delegations with the Indian and Mongolian delegations filing formal protests over blatantly bum decisions which, as expected, were rejected by the Koreans with the Thais and even the Chinese voicing their outrage. The Philippines Ricky Vargas, the respected president of the Amateur Boxing Alliance of the Philippines who was the first to accept the fact that Suarez lost in his fight for gold, blasted the ?hometown decisions?, citing in particular the decision that robbed Barriga of a chance for a gold medal when the 21 year old who was certain he had won after a masterful showing jumped for joy only to be deflated by the decision. Vargas couldn?t believe that the judges gave the decision to the South Korean whose face was heavily marked from the fury of Barriga?s punches. The talented little fighter who was considered the Philippines best bet for a boxing gold medal said the result was not right even as he expressed the hope that the next time around the judges would be fair. He said he caught the Korean with ?strong and clear punches? telling the French news agency AFP ?My goal was gold but bronze is what God gave me.? Rather than refuse the medal like India?s female boxer Sarita who wept after the decision awarding her fight to a Korean girl was announced, Barriga ?I wull always wear my medal with pride for the Philippines.? Vargas agreed with the Thais and others who openly claimed it was ?very hard to beat a Korean in Korea. Hometown decisions are very prevalent here in Incheon? even as the India?s Cuban coach alleged that money had changed hands and that some scorecards were prepared even before the fighters entered the ring. Photo: Suarez (L)in action in Incheon Asian Games. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.  |
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