MARK ANTHONY BARRIGA LOSES FIGHT VS.Birzhan Zhakypov

The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines has protested light-flyweight Mark Anthony Barriga’s loss against Kazakhstan’s Birzhan Zhakypov.

The Philippines’ lone boxing hope in London lost the match, 17-16, after getting penalized for ducking and headbutting in the third round of the fight. That gave the Kazakh two extra points, making up the difference in the result.

“We felt the referee was a little too quick on the draw on the warning, because the Kazakh was already wrestling Mark to the ground,” said ABAP executive director Ed Picson.

Barriga was leading the fight, 10-8, heading into the third round, when Zhakypov became visibly more aggressive. He wrestled the Filipino fighter to the ground twice early before Barriga without any reaction from Labbe.

“And when the referee finally gave a deduction [for wrestling], it went both ways,” said Picson.

“But that’s the referee’s prerogative. It was a judgment call, I don’t necessarily agree with it.”

According to AKTV’s Lia Cruz, the ABAP will protest the fact that Barriga was warned just once before being penalized, when the Filipino fighter should have been warned three times.

A similar case occurred earlier on Friday, when the United States protested a decision that gave India’s Krishan Vikas a 13-11 victory over American welterweight Errol Spence. In that case, the US said that the Indian should have received two warnings, resulting in an overturn of the result.

Under AIBA Technical & Competition Rules, a protest can be filed by “the Team Leader or by the person having the highest position in the Team Delegation no later than 30 minutes after the completion of the bout.”

Video of the protested fight will be used to render a decision by AIBA.