WBA boss Gilberto Mendoza demands Ryota Murata-Hassan N'Dam rematch
Sunday 21 May 2017 09:54, UK
WBA president Gilberto Mendoza has demanded a rematch between Ryota Murata and Hassan N'Dam.
Frenchman N'Dam won the vacant WBA middleweight crown on a controversial split decision despite being knocked down and wobbled on several occasions by the Japanese boxer in Tokyo.
N'Dam was declared the winner on two of judges' cards with scores of 116-11 and 115-112, while the third judge gave the fight to London Olympic gold medallist Murata.
The decision drew boos from the crowd and prompted Mendoza to promise action on social media.
"After judging the bout (independently) my scorecard is 117-110 for Murata," WBA president Gilberto Mendoza said on Twitter on Sunday.
"First of all, let me apologise to Ryota Murata... and all Japanese boxing fans. There are no words to repair the damage.
"I will demand the championship committee to order a direct rematch."
N'Dam sank to his knees as the scores were announced and afterwards claimed he had deserved to win.
"I thought I won more rounds than him," said the Cameroon-born Frenchman. "Even after I was knocked down I stuck to my game plan."
Murata, who was bidding to become only Japan's second middleweight world champion, and first in 22 years, refused to make excuses after a first defeat in 13 professional fights, but insisted: "He didn't hit me with a single punch that hurt me."
Akihiko Honda, president of Murata's Teiken Gym, made no attempt to hide his contempt for the contentious decision that saw N'Dam improve his record to 36-2.
"It's absolutely ridiculous," he fumed. "Our fight went perfectly to plan. It's the worst judging decision I've ever seen. There's no way that was a defeat."
