By Michael Marley
In a too rare display of sportsmanship and common sense in boxing, volcanic promoter Lou DiBella just informed me that, after repeated views of the video of Friday's wild and wooly Antwerp, Belgium brawl between his guy Randall Bailey and Floyd Mayweather promoted fighter Said Ouali, he now accepts the outcome.
"I had to look at the Youtube video, which I did over and over. It was an accident, Randall did not intend to hurl Ouali out of the ring, it was just a freak accident type of thing. You can see clearly from the video how Ouali kind of jumped on Randall's back and, when Randall turns around, Ouali reached for the top rope.
"Ouali was trying to steady himself, to regain his balance but his hand missed the rope and he goes tumbling over the ropes, out of the ring and lands on the scorer's table," DiBella said from his New York office.
"I have spoken to the IBF and told them I accept the no contest outcome. I think they will have to have a rematch."
DiBella had earlier spoken vehemently about protesting a first round "long count" when power puncher Bailey knocked Ouali down, a count which the promoter said may have gone as long as 15 seconds.
But, after the video review, DiBella cooled his jets.
Mayweather was in attendance at the junior welterweight elimination bout at the Lotto Arena but appears not have interceded in the controversial ending or protested same.
So don't ever refer to DiBella as a Belgian waffle.
