IBF ORDERS MARES-AGBEKO REMATCH; DONAIRE TO FACE UNDEFEATED WBO SUPERFLY CHAMPION NARVAEZ
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 17 Aug 2011
The International Boxing Federation has ordered a rematch for the IBF bantamweight title between Abner Mares who won a hugely controversial decision over Joseph Agbeko at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas last Sunday, Manila Time.
IBF Championship Committee chairman Lindsey Tucker informed the Daily Inquirer that he and IBF president Daryl Peoples reviewed a tape of the fight and ordered the rematch after noting that there were several low blow fouls committed by Mares and while referee Russel Mora issued numerous warnings he neglected to penalize Mares and deduct points for the fouls.
Peoples and Tucker also noted that the knockdown called by Mora in the eleventh round which proved crucial in deciding the outcome of the fight which Mares won by a split decision was the result of a low blow.
Based on its review IBF branded Mora?s conduct "inappropriate? and said it ?affected the outcome of the fight and in accordance with IBF/USBA Rules, the IBF is ordering a rematch which must be held within the next 120 days or by December 14, 2011.
Promoter Don King welcomed the swift and decisive action by the IBF leadership and urged the Nevada State Athletic Commission and its leaders ?i to step up in similar fashion as the IBF has done. After all, they have an additional obligation to protect those making wagers by insuring that fair play is paramount in their state.?
ABC 5 will telecast the controversial Mares-Agbeko title fight at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 21 over its sports network AKTV IBC Channel 13.
The rematch will put on hold any plans for WBC/WBO champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire to face-off against Mares in a unification title fight which both Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and Donaire himself were ready to take on.
The result is that Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who criticized Mora and said Agbeko deserved a rematch told the Inquirer on Monday that his people were working on a Donaire title defense at the Home Depot in Carson City, California on October 22 against undefeated WBO super flyweight champion Andres Narvaez, the 36 year old Argentine who has a record of 35-0-2 with 19 knockouts.
Narvaez, a southpaw, won the vacant WBO super flyweight title with a twelve round unanimous decision over Nicaragua?s Everth Briceno on May 15, 2010 and successfully defended the title against William Urina of Colombia with a unanimous twelve round decision last June 11.
Narvaez previously held the WBO flyweight title which he won also via a twelve round unanimous decision over Adonis Rivas on July 13, 2002 and made 17 successful defenses before moving up in weight.
Among those he beat were Filipino Rexon Flores on August 5, 2006 and Panama?s Carlos Tamara on January 25, 2008 both by twelve round unanimous decisions.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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