The International Boxing Federation (IBF) has banned Argentine boxer Luis Lazarte in the wake of a riot that disrupted a junior flyweight title fight between Lazarte and Filipino boxer Jonriel Casimero on Feb. 10 at a seaside resort near Buenos Aires.
Lazarte, a 40-year-old veteran whose loss to Casimero, 22, at the Club Once Unidos helped incite the post fight incident, was banned by the IBF for threatening to kill referee Eddie Claudio after a points deduction in the sixth round of the 12-round bout.
In a letter to Argentine Boxing Federation President Osvaldo Bisbal, IBF President Darryl Peoples said:
“Lazarte is banned from being involved in any capacity in any IBF related fight that takes place in Argentina or around the world. I believe that I do not have to express to you that Lazarte’s threat to Claudio, which can be clearly heard in the telecast, is completely unacceptable, should not be taken lightly and merits punishment. Behavior of this nature by a fighter is not and will not be tolerated by the IBF.”
Before the decision was even announced after the fight, bottles and chairs were thrown into the ring by the frenzied crowd, angered at the loss by their hometown favorite Lazarte.
One fan stormed the ring and tried to assault members of Casimero’s team, while others climbed onto the ring apron and tossed more chairs at Casimero and his cornermen.
“Some of them (the fans) climbed into the ring and started hitting and kicking members of Casimero’s team,” his manager, Sammy Gello-Ani, told Philboxing.com. “We decided to go nearer the police officers around the ring but people kept throwing anything, even hitting the police (and) injuring some of them.”
Amazingly Casimero (16-2, 10 KOs) and his team escaped the ring with only minor injuries. Gello-ani reported he was hit on the back with a chair and Sean Gibbon of Top Rank and trainer Ping-Ping Tepora both were punched by fans. Police had to escort the team back to their hotel.
In his letter to Bisbal, Peoples also said:
“I take this opportunity to address you in regards to the deplorable acts of violence that transpired after the Lazarte-Casimero bout. This type of violence has no place in a boxing match, or any sporting event for that matter, as it completely goes against the grain of what competition is about. Surely you agree to that. It is important that all of us in the boxing community, because this act in not exclusive to Argentina, utilize this experience as one to learn from and develop better ways to protect the perimeter around the ring and the people that are in it, while also insuring the safety of all those attending a boxing match.
Furthermore, I would like to know what steps have been taken with the local police department to bring those individuals that entered the ring and assaulted Mr. Casimero and his camp to justice. There are a number of individuals that can likely be identified in the video recording of the fight and who should be investigated through the proper legal channels. I expect that you will do what you can to further inform me on this matter.”
