Ward shock in Turkey

Irish boxing was left reeling last night when Moate light heavyweight Joe Ward lost 18-15 to Turkey’s Bahram Muzaffer in the Olympic qualifying tournament in Trabzon.

It was the hometown decision to beat all hometown decisions and IABA President Tommy Murphy described it as a ‘dreadful’ call.

The IABA appealed the result but were told it couldn’t be overturned as no rule had been broken. The matter will be considered again at this morning’s judges’ meeting.

Murphy said: “As far as I’ve seen over the years — and I’ve attended many of those championships, Olympics, qualifiers and all sorts of tournaments — it was a very bad decision. If it had to be anybody else I’d say the same. It was a terrible decision.

“We felt obliged to lodge an objection and see what happens,” Tommy Murphy said. “It’s €500 but, from our point of view, it’s money well spent. We are making the point that Ireland is not going to accept this any more. This is ridiculous. We have always accepted decisions and said ‘OK that’s the way it goes, you win one, lose one, but there was so much at stake here.

“Joe silenced all the Turks in the stadium in the last round and we find he lost the round 6-4. Where the six points came from is a total mystery.

“I always thought I was ahead right from the first round,” said Ward as he was embraced by boxers from other nations on his way out of the stadium. “I knew then as the fight went on that I was not getting the scores I deserved. That’s very disappointing. It’s a disgrace to amateur boxing but what can you do.”