IBO PRESIDENT HANDLED REVIEW OF CONTROVERSIAL TITLE FIGHT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 05 Sep 2008
International Boxing Organization president Ed Levine says he personally ?administered the review process? undertaken by the IBO following a formal protest lodged by promoter Rodney Berman over the hugely controversial loss of South Africa?s Zolani Marali (19-2, 13 KO?s) to Australia?s Billy Dib (21-0, 11 KO?s) in a super featherweight title fight in Sydney last July.
Levine informed www.insidesports.ph, Manila Standard and Viva Sports that the three neutral officials who reviewed a tape of the fight were John Rupert, Roark ?Rocky? Young and Frank Brunette.
He said that after the review process, the decision was then ?approved? by the IBO Championship Committee.
The three judges who watched the videotape scored the fight in favor of Marali prompting the IBO to order a rematch which should take place within 90 days.
Interestingly, two of the judges who scored the fight for Dib were from Thailand while the third judge was from Australia. Juge Kriangsok Thonghong scored it 116-112 and Cherdchai Srirat 114-113 while Gary Dean scored it 116-114 also for the 23 year old Dib despite the fact that Dib who was knocked down in round three and generally out-fought by the 31 year old Marali, a former IBO super bantamweight champion.
Promoter Berman told Super Sport in South Africa he ?never doubted that Marali was given a raw deal in Australia and after the IBO?s ruling I feel vindicated.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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