Every boxer, trainer, cutman and manager who has traveled overseas faces many obstacles to victory,including travel, foreign housing, food, time differentials, lack of proper training facilities to name but a few. Most learn quickly to deal with these problems. But there are other, nearly impossible, barriers standing in the way of coming home with a victory.. The vocal local crowds and the promoter’s influence often have more to do with the result of the fight than the action in the ring. This is one of the major things wrong with professional boxing whether traveling domestically or internationally.
On March 14th., Louis Azille, who had traveled from his home in Florida to Denmark, fought local fighter Anders Hugger for the IBA Intercontinental Cruiserweight title. According to Azille’s trainer, Harold Wilen, and many members of the press in attendance Azille was “jobbed”. It is thought by many in attendance that Azille won 9 of the 12 rounds. In addition, Azille knocked Hugger down in the 9th round only to find that the bell ,ay have sounded prematurely ending the round once Hugger took the eight count and got to his feet and Azille advanced to finish him off.
Hugger ran and clutched throughout the entire fight. He was cut over both eyes and on his head. His body took a horrific beating. Following the knockdown in Rong 9, Rounds 10, 11 and 12 saw Higger running around the ring and clutching whenever Azille got close.
Two of the three judges were Danish. The third judge was from neighboring Germany. The two Danish judges scored the fight 115-112 for Hugger and the German scored 116-112 for Hugger. These scores were the exact opposite of the reality that happened in the ring. Individuals connected with the promotion repeatedly assured me that the fight was “close”. No it was not !!!
Thus Azille and Wilen stood in utter shock and dismay as the ring announcer read the scores and proclaimed Hugger the winner. The decision strongly reinforces the opinion of seasoned veterans that the only way to insure a victory out of town or out of the country is to take the decision-making out of the hands of local judges by knocking your opponent out.
Harold Wilen is officially filing a complaint with the Danish Boxing Commission and the IBA. He is asking that the footage of the fight be reviewed by independent judges and that the Danish Commission and IBA grant an immediate rematch. There was no television broadcast of the fight.
This is not the first, nor will it be the last time, that outlandish local judging has robbed a fighter of a justly earned victory and title. But it is a new chance for both the commission and the sanctioning body to make a wrong right. Let’s hope they will do the right thing.
Please feel free to communicate with Harold Wilen with any feedback, et. al. at his email address, coach_harold@yahoo.com.