Munyai camp files complaint with BSA over scoring against Komanisi
'I must say that judging here at home is bad'
Image: James Gradidge
Grossly agitated by the decision he deemed dishonorable, boxing trainer Alan Toweel Junior confirmed yesterday filing a formal complaint with Boxing SA.
His charge Tshifhiwa Munyai lost the South African lightweight title to Lusanda Komanisi on points last weekend. Two judges scored it 115-112 and 114-113 while their colleague was way off the mark with 117-110.
That scoring irked not only Toweel but also promoter Rodney Berman who staged the fight at Emperors Palace.
He is quoted saying “that judge (who scored it 117-110) must be sanctioned because there’s no way that could have been the case; Komanisi was dropped yet that scoring suggests he won nine of the 12 rounds; that’s just not possible”.
Said Toweel: “I have already sent the video of the fight to Boxing SA; today I am sending all the required documents which includes the R2,000 which is the fee for the application form for the fight to be reviewed.”
Once all the documents have been received by Boxing SA, the office of the COO will then forward the application to the sanctioning committee to decide if there is justification on the appeal. The COO will then appoint neutral judges to go through it.
For the record this process, even if it favours Munyai, does not warrant that the boxer who won from the official fight must be stripped of the title.
Instead it empowers the regulator to instruct the winning boxer – Komanisi in this case – to defend against Munyai only if there is nothing in the pipeline for him.
Said Munyai: “I doubt that the judge who scored the fight 117-110 can explain how they arrived to that scoring.
“This reminded me of the scoring when I defended against Aphiwe Mboyiya; it was a split points and I wondered which fight were they scoring. I must say that judging here at home is bad and Boxing SA must look at doing something about it.”
He added: “I am never scared of any boxer and power does not intimidate me. I just did not to make it toe-to-toe.
“First 30 seconds Brian Mitchell (commentator) says Munyai is not working; I am confused as to what exactly is he talking about – not even a minute gone already I am being criticised. Boxing is about art and outsmarting your opponent.”