Inaugural India Open International Boxing Tournament |02 February 2018

Experienced Folette not satisfied with ref’s decision in Agnes’ loss to Kumar

“I am not satisfied with the outcome of Keddy’s semifinal bout”.

Seasoned international boxing referee Edmond Folette said this to Sports NATION yesterday when asked his opinion about why the referee stopped Keddy Agnes’ super heavyweight (+91kg) semifinal fight against Indian Satish Kumar in the Spicejet India Open international boxing championship at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.

“It was not OK for the referee to just stop the fight. There were no knockdown and count of eight. Therefore, I am not satisfied with the outcome of Keddy’s semifinal bout,” Mr Folette told Sports NATION.

Even Agnes took to the social media to complain about the way he lost the fight.

According to the Indian media, the referee had to rescue Seychellois boxer Agnes from further punishment in the second round as Satish overcame a tough early phase to dominate the proceedings.

They add that Satish was one of the three Indian boxers to beat a foreigner to book a berth in the final.

“He did that with considerable poise against an opponent who had knocked out a formidable Uzbek boxer in the earlier round,” they wrote.

Mr Folette noted that “it was clear Satish is a better boxer than Keddy because he competes a lot compared to Keddy who almost did not compete last year”.

He added that the Seychelles team probably could not lodge a formal protest as they had to pay US $500.

In the final, Satish Kumar will be up against Bakhodir Jalolov of Uzbekistan who subdued Cuban Yohandi Toirac Ortega with a unanimous decision.

The loss to Satish Kumar brought an end to Agnes’ hope of reaching the final and winning the gold medal to net a US $2,500 pay check.

Agnes won his first fight on a 5-0 score (30-27, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28) against Zukhurov Siyovush of Tajikistan last Sunday and in the quarterfinals he knocked out Uzbek Mullojonov Lazizbek in the second round with an explosive right hook which caught the Uzbek’s jaw and lifted him into the air.

G. G.