By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The International Boxing Federation expects to receive a protest from the camp of Joseph Agbeko following a controversial majority decision awarded to Abner Mares in their IBF bantamweight title fight on Saturday.
Referee Russel Mora has been blasted by every boxing internet site boxing writer and respected TV commentator Al Bernstein for a horrible performance in which he failed to deduct a single point from Mares who connected with several low blows throughout the fight.
Fight fans were particularly angered when Mora called a knockdown following a clear low blow in round eleven which could have made the difference in the fight.
Boxing writer Andreas Hale reporting from ringside said “how did referee Russel Mora do such a terrible job officiating? It was mind-boggling how a usually reliable ref can ruin an excellent fight. The obvious foul-fest tainted Mares’ performance in Las Vegas and Agbeko was none too happy at what took place in the ring.”
WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire who remembered how Mora failed to stop his fight against Fernando Montiel when the Mexican was obviously unable to continue said Mora was "a horrible, horrible referee."
Tucker told BoxingScene.com/the Daily Inquirer “We have not received an official appeal from the Joseph Agbeko camp yet but I'm sure we will. If we do get a request for an appeal, we will proceed according to the rules.”
The IBF executive said the Agbeko camp has two choices pointing out that they could send the IBF a written complaint which they would “look into” or they could “file an officialaAppeal.”
Tucker explained the procedure for filing an appeal. He said Don King Productions “must send the IBF a $10,000.00 (Non refundable) check, a tape of the fight and letter explaining their appeal within 10 days of the fight.”
He said the IBF would then “appoint a panel of 3 members and would hold a hearing” at which Tucker indicated “both sides would be allowed to present any evidence they had to explain their side of the story. The panel would review the tape, any evidence and the testimony of anyone who appeared before the panel. The Planel would arrive at a decision and the President would act on that decision.”