San Francisco, CA- Move over the debate over who really won between Manny Pacquiao (45-3-2, 35 KOs), and Juan Manuel Marquez (48-3-1 (35 KOs) back in 2004. Last Saturday, an entertaining and dramatic bout between two top super flyweight (115 lbs) contenders ended in a hotly disputed draw in Cebu City, the Philippines. Neither Vic Darchinyan (29-1-1, 23 KOs), or Z Gorres (27-2-2, 15 KOs), took a step closer to a world title shot, but they didn?t lose ground on the title hunt.
INEPT REFEREE GUILTY BY OMISSION
The controversy centers on the performance (really lack thereof), of Lance Revill, previously an unknown New Zealand based referee. In what was an intimate setting (a small ballroom) at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu, Revill ruled that when Gorres tripped over the feet of Vic Darchinyan was a legitimate knockdown. This did not bode well for those in attendance, as bottles were thrown into the ring, prompting a call from the commission for calm and order. Z was well on his way to winning that round until Revill?s erred.
GORRES? CUT GAVE VIC CONFIDENCE
Early in the bout, Gorres was effectively boxing and frustrating Darchinyan, who hit the canvas for only the second time in the second round. Darchinyan was losing confidence and thus began to bully his way into the smaller Gorres. Referee Revill once again came into play during the middle rounds as blood began to flow from the top of Gorres? head. Revill failed to send Gorres to the Dr. or rule whether the cut was from a punch of a headbutt (though later reports indicated Revill ruled it a punch).
AUUSIE EMPLOYED GOOD BODY WORK
In boxing, body punches are like investments that get cashed in the later rounds. For Vic, the constant pressure and the roughhouse tactics weakened Gorres late in the bout. Gorres was hitting the canvas like a deck of cards anytime Darchinyan pushed, or landed a clean punch.
VIC SCORED THREE KNOCKDOWNS!
Darchinyan was credited with two knockdowns (one in the first and one in the ninth). In reality, Darchinyan scored three clean knockdowns (two of which were not called knockdowns). The math does not make sense because the knockdown in the first round was clearly a slip. Was Revill trying to send a symbolic apology to the Filipino by later calling a legit knockdown a slip? It?s unlikely because he later missed another clear knockdown by Darchinyan. A dismal performance overall for the referee.
THE DRAW A HOMETOWN DECISION?
Had the referee correctly scored the knockdowns, Vic Darchinyan would have won the bout by a close margin. Watching the fight at 5 AM last Saturday, personally scoring the fight (at that time) would lack credibility. The announce team of the fight, Quinito Henson and flyweight champ (112) Nonito Doniare, they both believed Vic did enough to the win fight. Darchiyan was the aggressor, but he was not landing punches at a good connect ratio. Just because Gorres? legs were not as strong as they were in the beginning of the bout, doesn?t mean he still wasn?t landing effective punches. With Lance Revill?s below average performance as a referee, neither fighter should bare the brunt of a loss.
INTERESTING FINAL POINT TALLIES
The scorecards of the bout indicate that this was not a hometown decision. Montol Suriyachand from Thailand, the so-called neutral judge scored it 113-112 for Gorres. Jonathan Davis, the Filipino judge, scored it 114-112 for Darchinyan. And Cec Perkins, the Australian judge had it even at 113-113. If I can get a copy of the actual scorecards, that might further the controversy, or put it to sleep.
DEJA VU FOR BILLY HUSSIEN
Darchinyan?s trainer is Billy Hussein. Ant to no ones surprise his impression of Philippine boxing fans did not improve after Saturday. To put a little context, in 2000, Hussein was an assistant trainer to then undefeated super bantamweight (122) Nedal Hussien. Billy was part of the team, headed by Jeff Fenech that came to the Philippines when Nedal fought Manny Pacquiao. Hussien knocked Pacquiao down with a jab, but was also deducted a point for elbows during the break. Fans threw water bottles at Hussien as Nedal?s blatant dirty tactics enraged fans. The same thing occurred last Saturday, as bottles were thrown at the direction of Darchinyan. At the end of the bout, television cameras caught a bottle landing directly on the back of Billy?s head. Obviously, this is a black eye for Philippine boxing as Gary Shaw, a major U.S. promoter was present and witnessed this first hand.
SPUR OF MOMENT OR SIGN OF THE CULTURE?
Finding reasons for the uncalled assault by the fans towards the referee and the Darchinyan can be characterized two ways: caught up in the heat of the battle, or what Filipinos naturally do when their fighter is losing by exhibiting poor sportsmanship. When Fernando Montiel (35-2-1, 26 KOs) beat Gorres by a split decision last year (the Philippine Media felt Z was robbed), a riot did not occur, nor were any bottles hurled towards the ring. However, Nedal Hussien and Darchiyan are similar in that they both brawl and use roughhouse tactics, which the fans did not like. If a rematch does happen, it won?t be in the Philippines again because I doubt Billy Hussein feels like getting pelted with another water bottle again. And you know, I can?t blame him for felling that way!
