Beibut Shumenov 9-1 (6) last night won the WBA light heavyweight title and set the
record for the least fights fought before winning a light heavyweight title with
a split decision win over Spaniard Gabriel Campillo 19-3 (6) in a rematch.
Shumenov dropped a controversial majority decision in his home country of Kazakhstan in their first battle but last night claimed the victory in Las Vegas, Nevada. Shumenov certainly got off to the better start and seemed to sweep most of the early rounds. Campillo though showed his mettle and battled back strongly during the later stages. Many rounds were tough to call and this was revealed in the official scoring.
Judge Levi Martinez went for the defending champion Campillo by a wide score of 117-111 while Patricia Jarman scored the bout for Shumenov also by a score of 117-111. Judge Jerry Roth scored the bout 115-113 to award Shumenov the victory. Quite how two judges can score a bout so dramatically differently though is a worry.
Shumenov was understandably jubilant with his win and said “I had the better trainer and he told me what to do to win”
Campillo though saw things much differently, “I got robbed, I want an investigation of the judges.”
It will not be the biggest shock if the WBA order a rubber match between the two evenly matched fighters. It is unlikely that Shumenov makes the same impact on boxing as Michael Spinks did, the man whose record that Shumenov has just beaten.
Cuban Erislandy Lara 10-0 (6) retained on course in his bid for stardom in the light middleweight division with a 10th round TKO win over tough Grady Brewer 26-12 (15). Lara was just a bit too young and fresh for the gritty Brewer and dominated proceedings. Brewer was dropped in the 10th round and the referee was forced to intervene
By JIMMY LAST (EDITOR)
