Furious Khan blasts ref after ‘disgusting’ decision

AMIR KHAN wants the rematch with Lamont Peterson to be staged in March after he described Saturday night’s majority points decision which cost him his WBA and IBF world light welterweight titles as “disgusting.”

Two of the judges scored the fight 113-112, 113-112, in favour of Peterson and the third marked it 111-114 for Khan. While it was always set to be a close decision it appeared as if it might go in favour of the champion until referee Joseph Cooper handed him a public warning for spoiling in the third round.

He had Peterson on the floor in the first round but he never succeeded in stamping his authority on the fight, adopting a “rope a dope” attitude by leaning back on the ropes, dropping his guard and needlessly shipping big shots that were always going to impress the judges.

While he clearly lost the third and seventh rounds, Khan chose to ignore his own performance and latched on to the referee’s performance after the fight.

“It was like I was against two people in there — the referee and Lamont himself,” he fumed.

The two points deducted by Cooper during the fight were critical and Khan’s shell shocked team said they will formally question the referee’s performance as well as “certain ambiguities” in the judges’ scoring.

Meanwhile Toby Bermueller made his long awaited boxing debut at the Green Glens in Millstreet on Saturday night where Rylane Boxing Club and the Garda joined forces to host the New York Police Department.

Bermueller turned in a superb last round to outpoint the New York policeman, Joe Donovan.

The tournament also marked the return of Michael Kalilec (St. Colman’s, Shanagarry) to competitive boxing and he stopped the NYPD giant, Frankie Iglesias, in the first round of their contest.

Laoise Traynor, a Garda who trains alongside triple world champion Katie Taylor produced a stunning performance to earn a unanimous points decision over New York southpaw, Flor Jolay.