Ghana’s Emmanuel ‘Game Boy’ Tagoe secured the 28th straight win of his career with a round 10 technical knockout victory over Fernando David Saucedo of Argentina on Saturday night in Accra.
Referee Roger Barnor waived the fight over when he was still counting for Saucedo who had just been knocked down for the umpteenth time in a rather boring fight at the Bukom Boxing Arena in the Ghanaian capital.
It was a somehow controversial end but the experienced referee later explained he stopped the fight within the rules of the game because Saucedo’s trainer had encroached, entering the ring without invitation.
It ensured Tagoe successfully defended the title he first won in December 2016 dispatching South African, Mzonke Fana at the same electric venue and improved his career record to 28-1, 14 KOs whilst condemning Saucedo to the 7th loss of his now 71-fight pro career (61-7-3, 10 KOs).
The Ghanaian dominated the fight all night long, repeatedly jabbing and hitting the 36 year old Saucedo who in contrast spent most of the time either encouraging Tagoe to hit him harder or challenging the calls of the referee. Twice in rounds 2 and 4, Saucedo was sent sprawling to the canvas by the right hand of Tagoe, both occasions the Argentine rose to challenge the count, arguing he had slipped or that Tagoe had hit the back of his head, constantly shoving the referee amid unbelievable scenes in the ring.
Several times the referee had to stop proceedings and warn Saucedo and his corner, even deducting a point off the Argentine once. Tagoe was not dissuaded however from the task and kept on jabbing and hitting his target until the unfortunate end in round 10.
Saucedo was once again hit with a powerful punch from the Ghanaian which floored him, and once again instead of getting back on his feet as the referee began counting, Saucedo just stood on one knee complaining to the referee that Tagoe had hit the back of his head and shouldn’t have counted as a knockdown. Suddenly the referee waived the fight over even as he hadn’t counted the boxer out.
It was a somehow controversial ending as even Ghanaian fans at the fight who didn’t understand why the fight was stopped, booed at the referee who nevertheless stood by his call.
In other fights on the undercard, former IBF Intercontinental champion, Albert Mensah returned with a round 4 knockout win over Charles Tetteh, Michael Pappoe stopped Enoch Lamptey in round one whilst Theophilus Tetteh scored a round 3 TKO over Alfred Quaye.