Another Questionable Decision
Dateline: 03/28/99Another fight involving Don King results in a questionable decision -- what a surprise. Last night's bantamweight doubleheader on Showtime opened with Colombia's Jorge Eliecer Julio (41-1, 30 KO) retaining his WBO title with a controversial split decision over Nicaragua's Julio Gamboa (23-4). Despite bleeding profusely (making it look like he absorbed most of the punishment in the bout), Gamboa was clearly the aggressor throughout and landed the harder and cleaner punches. The judges should have been able to see through the blood to reward Gamboa for his efforts, but once again two judges saw a different fight than everyone else in attendance. The crowd, online voters and announcers all had Gamboa winning (Bobby Czyz had it eight rounds to four for Gamboa), but the judges inexplicably scored it 115-114 and 115-113 for the champion and 115-113 for the challenger. Guess what most likely comes next? That's right, a rematch. Sound familiar?
In the main event, IBF bantamweight champion Tim Austin (19-0-1, 18 KO) successfully defended his title for third time with a ninth-round knockout of Mexico's Sergio Aguila (25-13-1, 16 KO), but he had to get off the canvas for the first time in his professional career to do it. Austin, an Olympic bronze medallist in 1992, was cruising along when a counter left hook to the head decked him in the fourth round. The champ also had an additional point deducted for holding while trying to clear his head. However, once he settled back down, Austin was able to reassume control of the bout, eventually overpowering and stopping Aguila in the ninth with combinations to the head and body. A fight between Austin and either combatant in the prelim to this bout would be a good match. A fight with WBA champ Johnny Tapia would be even better.
