AROY-MATYHILA TITLE FIGHT CANCELLED!
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 01 Dec 2007
Philippine Boxing Federation (PBF) light-flyweight champion Alex Aroy again failed to win the World Boxing Council international crown. This time he was unsuccessful without throwing a single punch. His opponent WBC international light-flyweight champion Phumzile Matyhila was stripped of his title when he failed to make the weight limit when he tipped
the scales 3 kg. overweight.
During the weigh-in on the day before the scheduled title defense at Carousel Hotel and Casino, north of Pretoria, Matyhila stepped on the scales at 52.20 kg, 3 kg over the limit.
The South African champion was found to be overweight during the premedical examination last Monday when he registered 53.70 kg. Many times organizers in South Africa had to weigh the titlist who exerted so much effort to reduce. But in the final and official weigh-in on November 29, he was still very much over the limit.
This prompted organizers to cancel the bout against the will of the promoter Branco Milenkovic who confirmed that Matyhila was stripped of his belt.
?I tried to get a permission to stage the fight but Aroy's camp turned down the opportunity because of the weight difference," he said. "WBC rules do not allow the fight to continue if the difference is more than three kilograms."
This was also confirmed by Rex ?Wakee? Salud to me in a phone call this morning, that they do not want Aroy to get hurt because of the three kilogram weight difference for a bout, which is illegal per WBC rules.
Had the fight been pushed through with Aroy winning, he could automatically become the WBC international champion in his category. But had Matyhila won, the title will still be declared vacant.
Once again, Aroy failed to win the international title not through his own fault. Circumstances denied our local
Maasin bet to give due honor to the city and to our country. But all is not lost for the ?Maasin Bomber? as his handlers Salud and company will try to arrange another crack at the international title.
On his first South African journey, Aroy failed to win the WBC international strawweight (mini-flyweight) title against Zukisani Kwayiba because of a power failure. The bout was controversial and it prompted Milenkovic to arrange another title break this time at Matyhila?s crown.
That was suppose to be Matyhila's first defense of the title he won by beating fellow South African Sizwe Sinyabi.
Matyhila was ranked world No. 12 by the WBC and world No.14 by both the IBF and WBO.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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