## WADAMINE SCORES CONTROVERSIAL TKO

TAGAWA, JAPAN

July 12, 2008

Japanese #2 light-fly Yukio Wadamine (24-3-1, 19 KOs), 112, scored a controversial TKO win over Thailander Ngaotawan Sithsaithong (7-6, 3 KOs), 111.75, at 0:13 of the third round of a scheduled ten on Saturday in Tagawa, Japan.

The Thailander was stupidly praying toward the corner post even after the bell sounded to start the fatal third. The moment he turned back to the Japanese, Wadamine exploded a vicious left hook to have him thrown out of the ring to the press box ? a la Jack Dempsey pummeled by Luis Angel Firpo in 1923. The referee didnft bother to count and promptly raised Wadaminefs arm. Was it a right and fair control of the game?

In Japan, there has been a common sense that once a round starts, a boxer can hit the other even if the latter shouldnft be ready to fight, saying thatfs his fault. Boxing is a game of gstand and fight.h Why does the referee exist as the third man authorized to regulate a bout? He should have ordered the Thailander to commence fighting by telling him that the round already began and he should turn to face his Japanese opponent.

It is traditionally a professional virtue in Japan that a boxer must fight for full three minutes. But it is dangerous that one hit the other who isnft ready to fight, just turning to him.

This observer has previously witnessed such incidents here. In 1966, a vacant world flyweight throne was disputed by Argentine Horacio Accavallo and Japanese southpaw Katsuyoshi Takayama in Tokyo. Even though the bell to start the opening session sounded, Accavallo wasnft ready, taking time to have the mouth guard into the mouth. The referee Nick Pope, the late US military worker then living here, probably believed that Takayama would wait for Accavallo to look back to him.

The crowd and his corner harshly yelled to the Japanese gGo and hit!h and Takayama battered him in the beginning of the first round. It was a disgraceful scene, as Accavallo was still looking aside to his cornerman. It was apparently the third manfs fault. He should have stopped Takayama hitting Accavallo in such a state and started the world title bout more fair and square. Accavallo, in anger, began to retaliate with more accurate and effective punches to win a split but well-received verdict to become the new champ.

This reporter can present another bad example which was very similar to todayfs bout. In 1986, future four-time world challenger Kenji Matsumura fought Thai flyweight champ Putt Ohyuthanakorn in Kakogawa, Japan. In the second, the Thailander kept praying too long after the gong to start the round and the Japanese already came close to his back. As soon as Ohyuthanakorn turned back, Matsumura landed a lethal right cross to flatten him for the count. The time was 0:18 of the second.

The Thai corner strongly protested against the outcome, saying the boxer wasnft ready to fight him face to face. The JBC then regarded it as a legal punch as the round had already begun. The spectators, including yours truly, then had unpleasant impression because it was against the sportsmanship. Whofs wrong? Whofs fault? Itfs the refereefs fault. He should not have allowed Matsumura to hit the Thailander but ordered him (the Thailander) to start fighting.

Of course, many Thailanders, who come and fight here, must refrain from praying even after the round begins. But our referees should not allow such incidents to happen again and again here in Japan. Had the Wadamine-Sithsaithong taken place in Las Vegas and had the referee done the same, he would have been suspended because of his inefficiency.

Promoter: Chikuho Promotions.

(7-12-08)

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