TUESDAY, 1.30PM:
The camp of dethroned International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight champion Mbulelo Botile will lodge a protest and demand a rematch against new IBF champion Tim Austin of America. Botile lost his title on an eighth-round stoppage on Saturdy night in the United States.
Golden Gloves publicist Terry Pettifer said promoter Rodney Berman is unhappy with the way referee Mark Nelson stopped the fight. ”Berman will lodge a protest and demand an immediate rematch,” said Pettifer. Berman is confident he has a good case because of a seventh-round blunder by Nelson. Television replays showed Austin pushed Botile to the ropes, but Nelson ruled it a knockdown.
Botile’s manager and trainer Mzimasi Mnguni was angry and said the decision caused his boxer to be careless in the next round by trying to increase the pace. Pettifer said they expect the protest to be answered within two weeks.
Meanwhile, the newly crowned International Boxing Association champion Baby Jake Matlala failed to show up at Johannesburg International Airport on Monday. Many enthusiastic fans and schoolchildren, who were hoping to give Matlala a hero’s welcome, were disappointed when he did arrive home as expected. Matlala dethroned Michael Carbajal when their fight was stopped in the ninth round. Matlala’s compatriots said they did not know what happened to him.