Tyson Cave worried about getting robbed in the Philippines. He says that?s what happened Saturday.
Hometown favourite A.J. (Bazooka) Banal survived a nasty three-centimetre gash above his eye to defeat Halifax?s Cave for the WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight boxing title.
The 22-year-old Banal retained his belt, improving to 25-1-1, when the fight was stopped in the eighth round due to profuse bleeding. The contest, in the new Hoops Dome in Lapu Lapu City, was slated for 12 rounds.
Banal won 78-74, 79-73 and 78-74 on the judges? scorecards.
Ring officials ruled Banal?s cut in the fourth round was the product of a head butt, but Cave?s handlers say an overhand right did the damage to Banal and their fighter should have another title belt.
Cave was nearly despondent, his voice a raspy mash-up of rage, indignation and sadness.
He believes he won every round.
?I split him open,? said Cave. ?I hit him harder, I hit him more times. He hit me twice. I just don?t understand how they can do this. They promised us this wasn?t going to happen. This was going to be a fair fight. And this isn?t fair. There is nothing fair about this.?
As for the head butt, he said: ?If it was a head butt, which it wasn?t, I still won every round. The fight should have been stopped in the fifth round if it was that bad and they let the fight keep going because they knew he had to try to win some rounds.?
He knew there was a danger of getting a raw deal on the road, but he believes this is worse than he could have imagined.
?This s?t has got to stop in boxing,? he said. ?I came all over the way over here. I promoted this fight. I could have got a world title shot if I won this. They stole this from me. But I love the country, I love the people and I would love to come back here and fight.?
?Tyson outpunched the guy and out-boxed the guy,? said Robert Cave, Tyson?s father and manager. ?And they gave him the decision. I can?t believe it. It was no head butt, it was a punch.
?They aren?t going to let that boy get beat, that?s what it is,? he added. ?This guy was sucking wind. He couldn?t handle Tyson?s speed, his punches.?
Trainer Bunny Phillips said Cave should have been a winner.
?Head butt, bull—-t,? said Phillips. ?Tyson split him open with a right hand. Tyson fought a perfect fight. It was the best I?ve ever seen him look. He won the fight and if he didn?t I?d tell you. He outpunched him and outscored him and he made A.J. miss. It shows me Tyson can hang with any 118-pound fighter in the world.?
The 29-year-old Cave, the owner of the three title belts, is 15-2. Both fighters weighed in at 117.75 pounds on Friday.
The loss ends a five-fight winning streak for Cave that saw him win the WBC Continental Americas super bantamweight title over Nestor Bolum in January.
Banal has won eight in a row.
