Peach Boxing coach Isaac Peach has called for a different referee to adjudicate the bout of two of his athletes in Auckland this weekend following a controversial decision in Sydney last night.
Heavyweight Kiki Toa Leutele, who trains with Peach at his Auckland gym, came away with a split-decision win in the contest against Toese Vousiutu, with two judges scoring the bout 76-75 in his favour, but the other scoring it for Vousiutu by a wide margin at 78-73.
That judge being Ignatius Missilaidus, who is scheduled to referee Mea Motu’s IBO super bantamweight world title bout, as well as Jerome Pampellone’s IBF intercontinental light heavyweight title bout in a blockbuster card in Auckland on Saturday night.
Both Motu and Pampellone are part of Peach’s stable and after posting such a lopsided dissenting scorecard for Leutele’s bout, Peach hasn’t minced words about how he would feel to have Missilaidus as the third person in the ring for his fighters.
“We question the competence or integrity of him officiating at such a high level,” Peach said.
“We request he is not involved in these two top-level bouts and use another experienced referee whose officiating is not questionable.
“There is no shortage of officials being flown in for this event.”
Motu’s bout will headline a five-fight card at Eventfinda Stadium on the North Shore, and will be one of two world titles contested on the evening, with IBF world heavyweight champion Lani Daniels also putting her title on the line.