IBO upholds Myekeni win

By Dennis Principe

27.04 - The International Boxing Organization (IBO) recently upheld what was said to be a controversial win by defending world lightflyweight champion Mhikiza Myekeni over top Filipino 108-lb contender Wyndel Janiola last February 15 in Meropa Sun in South Africa.

According to IBO President Dan Levine, their organization’s Officials Committee which reviewed the tape of the said fight agreed that it was a close contest but at the same time could not be considered as an unjust decision.

“I have received the scoring reports from the members of our Officials Committee who have reviewed the videotape of the Myekeni-Janiola championship fight. I also viewed the videotape and scored the match closely for Myekeni” Said Levine in an email to this writer.

Levine said that though the previously unbeaten Janiola was in a position to win the title fight against the South African, the Filipino pug’s efforts just fell short to convince the judges of scoring the fight to his favor.

The 22-year-old Janiola lost by unanimous decision to Myekeni in a result which a South African boxing report described as “stunning”.

This forced Janiola’s American manager, Terry Carter to file a protest with the IBO and at the same time ask for a rematch.

But Levine maintained that the IBO will mandate a rematch only under the circumstances where the majority of their Officials Committee is of the opinion that the decision was unjust.

However, Levine assured the camp of Janiola that should the Cebuano boxer win his next few fights against quality opponents, they will do everything within their power to designate Janiola as a mandatory challenger for the IBO title.

Upon learning about the IBO’s decision, Janiola said he will now focus on his attempt at the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) lightflyweight crown versus defending Japanese champion Shingo Yamaguchi on May 12 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.