WBC to look into result of Petalcorin-Kimweri fight

THE World Boxing Council (WBC) has vowed to look into the controversial fight between Filipino boxer Randy Petalcorin and Omari Kimweri which took place last Friday in Melbourne, Australia.

Kimweri, a Tanzanian now based in Australia, won the fight to bag the WBC silver flyweight title.

But Jim Claude Manangquil, who is co-managing Petalcorin along with Peter Maniatis, complained of shabby officiating that allowed Kimweri to escape with a split decision win.

Manangquil, in an email sent to Cebu Daily News, said Petalcorin knocked Kimweri down four times but they were not counted by referee Malcolm Bulner.

Bulner and the three judges are from Melbourne, said Manangquil, Chief Executive Officer of the General Santos City-based Sanman Promotions.

The 24-year-old Davao City native Petalcorin (23-2-1, 18 KOs) had to relinquish his WBA interim junior flyweight title to earn a shot at the WBC belt against Kimweri.

Manangquil said they had complied with WBC’s order to submit the fight’s full video so they could investigate the matter.

“This is horrible for boxing. This is killing the sport that we love and also hurts the boxers who work hard,” Manangquil said.

Manangquil is asking the WBC to have the decision overturned, saying Petalcorin would have emerged winner if only the the four knockdowns were credited to his ward’s favor.