WBA Eliminator: John Laryea suffers disqualification as Robledo wins at home
Ghanaian boxer John Abaja Laryea suffered the first defeat of his professional career after he was disqualified by the referee in the ninth round of his North American Featherweight title fight against Argentina's Adrian Maximiliano Robledo in Buenos Aires.
The bout, which also served as an elimination contest for a World Boxing Association (WBA) title opportunity, ended in disappointment for Laryea, who had entered the contest unbeaten in 17 professional fights.
Laryea was accompanied to the ring by former Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan, legendary Black Stars forward and Africa's leading scorer at the FIFA World Cup, as well as coach Carl Lokko and manager Samuel Anim Addo.
The Ghanaian made a promising start, winning the opening round, but his performance deteriorated as the fight progressed.
By the third round, Laryea appeared to be tiring and increasingly relied on holding and clinching to frustrate Robledo. He was also repeatedly warned by the referee for falling and for committing fouls during the contest.
At various stages, Laryea appeared frustrated and was penalised for attempting to use his head and for punches delivered below the belt.
The repeated infringements eventually forced the referee to stop the fight in the ninth round, awarding victory to Robledo, who appeared the stronger and better-conditioned fighter on the night.
The defeat was Laryea's first in 18 professional bouts and represented a major setback in his pursuit of a WBA title opportunity.
His manager, Samuel Anim Addo, popularly known as Ohene, apologised to Laryea's supporters while insisting the defeat would serve as an important learning experience.
"Tonight didn’t go the way we hoped, and we sincerely apologise to everyone who stood behind John Laryea and supported him throughout this journey," Anim Addo said.
"Every setback is a lesson, not the end of the road. We will take the lessons, work harder, and come back stronger.
"This is only a chapter. The comeback will be greater. Abaja Laryea."
The result also left Ghanaian fans watching the fight at Bukom Park stunned, with some expressing disappointment at Laryea's performance.
Several supporters questioned his fitness after watching him struggle physically as the contest progressed, while others said the boxer known for his stubborn fighting class failed to produce the performance they had expected.
Among those present at the giant-screen viewing in Bukom were Member of Parliament Alfred Kotey Ashie and veteran boxing consultant Yoofi Boham.
Despite the setback, Laryea's supporters remain hopeful that the 18-fight veteran can return stronger after learning from his first professional defeat.
Team Laryea also expressed gratitude to Legacy Rise Sports Promotions for their support and for helping mobilise Ghanaian supporters in Argentina to cheer the boxer.
Before the fight, the WBA honoured Asamoah Gyan with a medal in recognition of his achievements. Former Ghana international Laryea Kingston was also in attendance to support his compatriot.
The night was a difficult one for Ghanaian boxing, with three fighters involved in bouts in different venues in the United States and Argentina.
In Atlanta, Emmanuel "Game Boy" Tagoe was unable to fight on the Claressa Shields bill after failing to make the required weight.
Tagoe, who has a record of 34 wins, two defeats and 16 knockouts, had been scheduled to face unbeaten American Ernesto "Tito" Mercado, who entered the contest with a 19-0 record and 18 knockouts, for the WBO International Super Lightweight title.
There was, however, success for another Ghanaian, as Mohammed Aryeetey secured a points victory in Maryland.
For Laryea, attention now turns to rebuilding his career after a night that brought the biggest setback of his professional journey.