Judge breaks the deadlock

TROPHY: Jett Larby with the 'runner-up of the tournament' award he received.Picture supplied

JETT Larby lost the final of his Boxing New Zealand National Championships Junior 54-kilogram bout in confusing circumstances.

Patu Tahi boxer Larby won two of the three rounds in the judges' eyes. But with all five judges' scores tallied, the result was a tie — both Larby and his opponent, Simba McKay, had the same number of points.

Both fighters thought they had done enough to take the title in a close decision, but the fight will be recorded as a loss on Larby's record.

Two judges scored the fight in Larby's favour and two in McKay's, so it was left to the other judge to make the call. He had scored the fight a draw — the first two rounds 10-9 for McKay and the last round 10-8 for Larby — but there had to be a national champion.

A 10-8 round in boxing is considered to be domination of the round by a fighter and is rarely awarded at the amateur level.

However, the judge chose McKay as the winner of the fight.

Larby had the bittersweet consolation of being given the “runner-up of the tournament” award.

Patu Tahi head coach Kim-Maree Larby said the decision was confusing, as Jett had won two of the three rounds.

“I don't want to take away from the fact that he (McKay) fought a good fight. . . but no kid should win one round and take home the entire fight.”

Patu Tahi is a small gym and its boxers don't have as much opportunity to get in the ring as those at clubs in major centres, which makes it hard for them to get experience fighting, she says.

“Our kids have the ability to be at the top. As a coach, I'm incredibly proud of what our kids did.

“We're still a little club, and to even get a medal is special.”

Each of the three Patu Tahi club fighters to travel for the tournament won a medal.

Tyla Kahukiwa-Larby won gold unopposed after her opponent suffered a motorbike injury and required surgery the week before their fight. Jett Larby won silver and Khadyn Kahukiwa-Kora won bronze.