In Mexico, WBC light flyweight champion Rodel Mayol (26-5-2, 20 KOs) of the Philippines lost his crown to hometown boy Omar Nino (29-3-2, 11 KOs) in an ugly fight that was plagued by headbutts by both protagonists. Omar Nino got the worst in the head-on collisions as he suffered cuts in both eyes but Rodel Mayol got the raw end of the bargain as he was penalized two points by the referee for the supposed accidental clashing of heads in the fight.
The referee was a factor and showed his inherent bias towards the Mexican fighter as he tried to control the outcome of the fight in seemingly odd but subtle ways. It was a bizarre kind of officiating that many boxing fans have not seen before or in years. The referee was quick to deduct points against Rodel Mayol for the accidental headbutts but ignored the obvious ones when Omar Nino was the initiator.
In the 8th round, Mayol was landing combinations to the head against an obviously tiring Omar Nino when the referee halted the bout so that the ringside physician could examine Nino?s cut which was not even bleeding nor hampering his vision, thus giving him time to recover for his second wind.
Both fighters were wary of each other?s power and seemed content to just cruise along. They were both tentative and would clinch every now and then. The exchanges were wild and few but neither fighter connected solidly nor cleanly with their punches.
Rodel Mayol was the aggressor and controlled the tempo early but Omar Nino came out alive in the late rounds. The fight was close but Omar Nino did not do enough for him to dethrone the erstwhile champion.
But Rodel Mayol has only himself to blame for allowing the referee and the judges become a factor in the fight especially as he was fighting in hostile territory. He should have let his fists decide the outcome of the fight to avoid the obvious hometown decision.
Still, Omar Nino as the challenger did not take the fight to the champion to even merit the benefit of the doubt in those close rounds in the judges? scoring. Yet Omar Nino won via unanimous decision with lopsided scores of 115- 111, 117- 109, 115-112 by the ringside judges.
