DASMARINAS LOSES BY SPLIT DECISION IN IBO JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 16 Dec 2014
In another controversial decision that is apparently becoming common in South Africa, Michael Dasmarinas, ranked No.1 by the Philippine Games and Amusements Board, has lost by a split decision in his off-and-on again title fight against IBO junior bantamweight champion Lwandile Sityatha at the Orient Theater in East London.
The wide disparity in the scorecards of the judges said it all with two judges ? Andre Van Grootenbruel of Belgium and Hilton Whitaker III scoring the fight for Sityatha 116-112 while the third judge, Benoit Roussel of Canada had Dasmarinas winning by a lopsided 118-110 prompting South African boxing writer Mesuli Zifo to state ?the judges scorecards were all over the place.?
Zifo reported that despite vomiting in his dressing room before the fight Sithyatha ?managed to retain his title? in what was described as a ?closely fought contest in which Sityatha managed to win some of the early rounds but as he tired towards the end, the southpaw Dasmarinas came back into the fight to score with counter punches.?
Zifo said ?the consequences of his illness was evident in his performance in the ring when he badly faded towards the end.?
The fight was ?much closer than the judges scorecards indicated with both boxers taking turns in landing telling blows.?
He said Sityatha got off to a percect start as his bodywork had the Filipino retreating for much of the first three rounds but while the South African initiated the attack ?he often left himself open to counters making all his hard work amount to nothing as Dasmarinas returned everything coming his way.?
Dasmarinas relied heavily on his counter punching and when Sithyatha began to fade in the championship rounds the Filipino southpaw took control with his swinging punches easily finding the target.
Sithyatha was overheard complaining to his corner ?I feel very hot and my hands cannot move.?
Zifo concluded ?with concern written all over his trainer?s face the fighter was advised not to mix it up with the free-swinging Filipino but with Sityatha?s penchant for trench wars he was easily drawn back to a slugfest but he could not match the Filipino?s punch output and when he was nailed by a swinging left hook, spectators implored him to hold. The sound of the bell to end the fight came as a relief top his corner and the announcement of the outcome sparked wild celebrations by his handlers.?
With the win Sithyatha improved to 18-3-1 with 7 knockouts while the loss saw Dasmarinas drop to 18-2 with 11 knockouts.
On the same card GAB No. 6 ranked, hard punching Merbon Bodiongan was outworked by Xolani Mcotheli who won the vacant IBO Intercontinental junior lightweight title as he controlled the fight to win by one-sided scorecards of 120-108, 119-111 and 119-109. Mcotheli improved to 11-1 with 8 knockouts while Bodiongan fell to 11-2-2 with 9 knockouts.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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