The much-taunted National Super Middleweight Championship between Elvis Ahorgah (Soldier Booxer) and Ernest Akutsey, aka, Baubali, ended in a no-contest during round 6. One-time SWAG boxing referee of the year, the venerable Roger Barner called a temporal halt midway through the round after spotting a defect in Baulbaloo’s gloves. He aptly invited a ringside official and Ghana Boxing Authority, GBA chairman for promotion, Alhaji Multala Toufik, to explain and show him his observations. The two agreed there was a challenge that required changing the gloves. A pair of black gloves was immediately sorted, and Baubali was taken to his corner for the defective gloves to be replaced.
This sparked heated murmuring and gossip among the teaming patrons, who were unsure about what exactly brought about the temporary halt and why the gloves of Baubali were being changed. After a while, the head trainer of Soldier Boxer, and one of the assistant coaches of the National Amateur boxing team, Coach Lartekoi Lartey, jumped into the ring in protest, demanding to know what was happening. His action was misread by the support base and corner of Baubali leading to the throwing of missiles into the ring. The security took control of the ring but the outrage continued leading to patrons including the officials running for safety.
For nearly 30 minutes, the security remained in control of the affairs in the ring by protecting the two boxers from the flying bottled water and soft drinks mostly coming from Baubali’s corner side of the ring. Referee Roger Barnor was later spotted around the media centre in a changed attire. The previously packed Bukom Boxing Arena was virtually empty now and the boxers have no option but to vacate the ring disappointed. At the point of the stoppage though many patrons and journalists have scored Soldier Boxer ahead of his opponent, Baubali on points.
But what do the rules say if defective gloves are spotted during a bout?
In a boxing bout, if the referee notices a defect in the gloves of one of the boxers, they follow a specific protocol to ensure the safety and fairness of the match. Here are the steps typically taken:
- Stop the Fight Temporarily: The referee will call a temporary halt to the fight. This is done to prevent any unfair advantage or safety issues that could arise from a defective glove.
- Inspect the Gloves: The referee will closely inspect the gloves to determine the nature and extent of the defect. This can include checking for tears, loose padding, or any other irregularities that might affect the integrity of the gloves.
- Consult the Ringside Officials: The referee will usually consult with the ringside officials, including the boxing commission representatives and the fighter’s corner, to discuss the defect and decide on the next course of action.
- Informing the Opposing Corner: The referee or the ringside officials will inform the opposing boxer’s corner about the situation and the decision made, whether it’s fixing the defect or replacing the gloves.
- Replace the Gloves: If the defect is significant and cannot be quickly fixed, the gloves will need to be replaced. The boxer’s corner typically has a spare set of gloves ready for such situations. The boxers will be given time to change their gloves.
- Supervised Change: If the gloves need to be replaced, this is done under supervision, and the opposing corner is made aware of the change to ensure there are no doubts about the fairness of the process.
- Resume the Fight: Once the gloves have been replaced and both the referee and ringside officials are satisfied that the new gloves meet the necessary standards, the fight will resume.
These steps ensure that the bout remains fair and that both boxers are competing under the same conditions. The priority is always the safety of the fighters and the integrity of the sport.
For detailed regulations and guidelines, boxing commissions such as the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) and the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) provide comprehensive rules on the handling of equipment and other in-fight issues.
The Nine Bouts event at the Bukom Boxing Arena is the maiden edition of the Ayitey Powers Promotions, which also featured the return of Wasiru Gyatabi Mohammed after four years of exile from Boxing. Despite showing signs of reduced energy and speed due perhaps to the long absence from the ring, the former WBO Africa and national super Bantamweight champion, Wasiru Gyatabi Mohammed, lived up to expectations by retaining his unbeaten records in 13 fights with 12 knockouts after stopping Michael Akramah Tetteh in round five of their eight-round lighter weight contest.
By Peter Quao Adattor
A few more Pictures from the Action
