VIDEO: The illegal punch that all the fuss is about
Julio Cesar caused the big shock of a busy weekend for Irish boxing two weeks ago, but his win was not without controversy.
The Belfast-based Angolan super middleweight upset Sean McGlinchey on the big Celtic Clash 9 card, stopping the fancied Derry slugger in the fifth round.
However, the lead-up to the stoppage has some, especially those from the Maiden City, crying foul.
The basis of complaints are a foul by Cesar in the fourth round and, while it was punished at the time, some argue that it had a fight-defining impact.
Referee Hugh Russell had called break but Cesar would line McGlinchey up before landing a big left hand that hurt the Creggan brawler.
Hurt, McGlinchey would take a knee and Cesar was given a stern talking to and deducted a point.
The scorecards, though, would not be needed, as Cesar continued his ascendancy and stopped a ragged McGlinchey in the following round.
How much of an impact did this have on the outcome of the fight at @CelticClash between #McGlincheyCesar@mummys_bhoy was hardly able to stand after it landed. Took him more than a round to recover.
— Boxing Tickets NI (@BoxingTicketsNI) October 16, 2019
Certainly has grounds to feel aggrieved and possibility of a rematch? pic.twitter.com/r3uutxjCIv
McGlinchey and his team are not happy with the initial hurtful shot in Round Four and are calling for a rematch.
Indeed, the fighter himself asked the Glean ABC trained fighter ‘to the right thing’ and give him a rematch via Irish-boxing.com yesterday.
The Commonwealth Games bronze medallist did start the better but arguably was already waning before the illegal shot in the fourth.
Regardless, the clash was an exciting one – and a repeat would be welcomed.
Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish).
