PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The World Boxing Association (WBA) has ordered an early September rematch of its controversial mini-flyweight bout last month in Trinidad between local fighter Ria Ramnarine and Venezuela’s Ana Fernandez.
T&T’s Ramnarine was given a shocking victory by the judges after the bout was prematurely stopped because of an injury to the local fighter at the Central Regional Indoor Sports Complex in Chaguanas on July 31.
Fernandez dominated Ramnarine throughout the contest and when a split decision victory for Ramnarine was announced, the decision against the visiting fighter appeared so blatantly unfair that it brought boos from the local crowd.
Declaring the scoring for the bout “controversial or irregular”, the Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Board of Control (TTBBC) recommended a rematch and the WBA – after viewing a recording of the bout – concurred.
The WBA informed the TTBBC by email on Tuesday that it was ordering a rematch between Ramnarine and Fernandez for September 5 in Panama.
The bout had been prematurely stopped at the end of the ninth round because of an accidental head butt that damaged Ramnarine’s eye.
Ramnarine was outgunned throughout the contest by the aggressive Fernandez, who constantly nullified Ramnarine’s height and reach advantage with foot speed and rapid combination punches.
Two judges, Trinidad & Tobago’s George St Aude and Guyana’s Eion Jardine appallingly scored the bout for Ramnarine 87-86 and 87-85 respectively.
The third judge, Guyanese Trevor Arno, was the only judge scoring in favour of Fernandez, 87-85.
Local fans attended the card to back their local star but ended the night pouring out their full support for the Venezuelan while expressing outrage at the judges’ scoring.
Meanwhile, the TTBBC is making a pitch to have the rematch staged in Trinidad instead of Panama.
The TTBBC’s Francott Moore, who was also Bout Supervisor for the controversial fight, told CMC Sport on Wednesday they are pushing for the rematch to be staged in Trinidad because of the high interest the event generated among locals.
“We believe it should be held in Trinidad because of the extremely high interest in the bout in T&T and also because Fernandez has a nice following in T&T,” Moore said.
“We want to believe that Trinidad would be the most lucrative venue for the rematch,” Moore added.
