MANILA, Philippines – Turning gold into stone, Iloilo?s Denver Cuello was disqualified by referee Guadalupe Garcia for striking a bloodied Juan Hernandez in the third round as the Mexican writhed in pain, down on both knees with gloves on the canvas, but earned the respect of a global audience in a bizarre ending to the WBC minimumweight title eliminator at the Auditorio Plaza Condesa, Mexico City, last Saturday night.
It was a brawl from the start as both Cuello and Hernandez threw caution to the wind like their lives depended on the outcome.
In the second round, Cuello lost his footing and fell to the canvas off-balance after a rush by Hernandez. Garcia, who worked Manny Pacquiao?s loss to Medgeon 3-K Battery in Bangkok in 1999, ruled a knockdown and gave Cuello what seemed to be an undeserved mandatory eight-count.
Hot under the collar, Cuello barged out of his corner in the third round with a knockout in mind. Hernandez, backtracking away from trouble, couldn?t escape the rampaging Cuello and took a left straight flush on the face. Blood spewed out of Hernandez? nose like water from a faucet as Cuello went in for the kill. A left uppercut to the liver sent Hernandez down on his knees.
Before Garcia could start the count, Cuello threw a brutal left to the ribs. Hernandez fell flat on his back and it was clear he wouldn?t ? or couldn?t ? get up. Garcia began to count then abruptly stopped. Cuello and his manager Aljoe Jaro celebrated in the ring, thinking Hernandez had lost by knockout. But to their surprise, Garcia declared the Mexican the winner by disqualification.
?Patay na, nanalo pa,? said Jaro. ?It wasn?t a good way to lose. I blame Garcia for not moving in fast enough to stop Denver from continuing his attack. So many Mexican fans felt Denver should have won. Now, they respect Denver?s punching ability. He promised to fight like Manny Pacquiao but I think he went a little overboard.?
Jaro immediately protested Garcia?s decision and asked the ringside officials to show a replay of what happened on a TV monitor. WBC supervisor Juan Jose Herrera Ornelas and ratings committee chairman Luis Medina obliged.
?I requested if I could watch the replay and they agreed,? related Jaro. ?The WBC officials watched with me. We saw that Hernandez was down on his knees when Denver came in with the shot to the body. Garcia should?ve been in a position to protect Hernandez. He didn?t do his job.?
Jaro admitted that under the rules, he understood why Cuello deserved to be disqualified but said a no-contest or a technical draw would?ve been justified, considering Hernandez was in no condition to continue.
It was the latest in a recent series of bizarre endings in pro boxing involving Filipino fighters. Last August, Bernabe Concepcion was disqualified for hitting WBO featherweight champion Steven Luevano a split second after the bell ended the seventh round. Luevano crumpled to the canvas and refused to get up until referee Jay Nady declared him the winner by disqualification. Last February, WBC lightflyweight titlist Rodel Mayol was knocked out while walking away from Omar Nino Romero after referee Vic Drakulich was about to give the Filipino a rest from a low blow. Because the bout was held in Mexico, it was declared a technical draw instead of a win for Mayol by disqualification.
In 1997, WBC lightheavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. lost his crown on a ninth round disqualification for hitting Montell Griffin as he knelt on the canvas. In a rematch five months later, Jones disposed of Griffin in a single round.
Hernandez, lucky to escape a sure knockout defeat, said he never imagined the fight to end that way. ?I twisted in pain because I couldn?t breathe,? he said. ?I was drowning in my own blood. I couldn?t go on fighting. I hope I can fight for the world title. I feel qualified to be a challenger. But from the way I won, many people will not see me with the ability (to win). I felt Denver?s punch and he felt mine. All Filipinos are strong and difficult to beat. Denver was the No. 1 contender. I was confident of my strength. I knew I would win.?
Jaro said he will wait for WBC executive secretary Mauricio Sulaiman?s reply on what to do next.
?I have a lot of respect for Mauricio who?s been very supportive,? said Jaro. ?I won?t make a decision on Denver?s next fight until I find out what Mauricio has in mind. Denver lost because the referee didn?t do his job. Before the fight, the referee told Denver in the dressing room he is the sole authority in the ring and the lives of the fighters are in his hands. So why couldn?t he protect Hernandez??
Jaro and Cuello will arrive in Manila on Thursday.
