Agbeko Deserves Rematch

The legendary Ghanaian boxer, Azumah Nelson, famously said during his active years in the pugilistic sports that he always ensured he carried his own referee into the ring to ensure he was never overtaken by events, given the many uncertainties and the many controversial decisions that had tainted the sport’s image.

Azumah was one of the finest boxers of his generation and virtually conquered all he could survey but he was well aware that despite being a master in his own right, boxing was littered with bizarre decisions that were beyond the control of the boxer. Thus his solution was to take his destiny in his own hands.

Last Saturday night, American referee Russell Mora threw fairness to the dogs and virtually handed Abner Mares an undeserved victory over Ghana’s Joseph Agbeko in an International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight championship at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Almost two years ago Agbeko lost his IBF title to Colombian Yohnny Perez and nobody raised a finger about the defeat, but the manner in which referee Mora turned a blind eye to serious infractions of boxing rules by the Mexican-American boxer and eventually

made the most bizarre decision by counting out Agbeko, who was writhing in pain after a obvious low blow by Mares, beats the

imagination of fair-minded boxing followers and connoisseurs.

Throughout the 12-round fight Mares had persistently hit over a dozen low blows which should have attracted stern warnings and at least a point deduction, if not disqualification.

Strangely, Mora simply failed to react to the numerous low-blows Mares landed whereas Agbeko was rather the fighter that Mora issued repeated warnings for lowering Mares’s head forward.

What happened in the penultimate round was, perhaps, the most horrendous non-low blow call in boxing history as Mares planted a punch in the groin area of the IBF title holder in the full glare of a biased referee. Agbeko went down on both knees in pain and Mora shamelessly stopped the action and started counting the Ghanaian out.

As Agbeko protested and the crowd spontaneously booed in disapproval as the referee’s bias against the African had become so clear.

In fact, the bizarre knockdown, and the failure by the referee to deduct at least a point from Mares for persistent low blows as the regulations require proved to be the difference in the fight and the outcome may have been different.

Referee Mora’s incompetence ruined an otherwise exciting fight and almost certainly was responsible for Agbeko losing his title after fighting so bravely. The general consensus was that Mora's performance was one of the single worst jobs by a referee in a big-time fight that you will ever see.

Mora made his presence felt in the final 30 seconds of the opening round when Mares was credited with a questionable knockdown when it was obvious Agbeko went down through a slip and not as a result of a punch.

Strangely, Mora was indifferent in the face of video evidence he got it all wrong with the second ‘knockdown’ even when ace commentator Jim Gray pointed out the referee’s blunder.

The verdict was unanimous among connoisseurs of boxing, including Don King, who demanded an immediate rematch. Showtime commentators Antonio Tarver (a former world champion himself) and Al Bernstein had harsh words for the incompetent manner in which the referee handled such an important title fight.

One of boxing’s foremost commentators, Al Bernstein, called referee Russell Mora's work as the very worst he' had seen in 15 years.

Even legendary promoter Bob Arum says he would welcome a rematch between Agbeko and Mares rather than a lucrative bout between his ward Nonito Donaire and Mares because of his belief Agbeko was given the short end of the stick.

The DAILY GRAPHIC joins all fair-minded people across the world to condemn such open robbery meted out particularly to boxers from Africa by the Mafia that controls the pugilistic sport.

The open bias displayed by referee Mora must be investigated by the bodies such as Nevada State Athletic Commission, which appointed the referee, and the appropriate sanction such as a ban handed to him to prevent him from robbing the boxing world of legitimate champions and giving the sport another black eye.

The DAILY GRAPHIC also calls on the IBF rules committee to review the tape of Mares-Agbeko fight and order an immediate rematch because Agbeko deserves the opportunity to prove the whole world that the IBF title he won was by dint of hard work and not the Mares's style.