Upset boxer blasts judges after defeat

Upset boxer blasts judges after defeat

BANGKOK (AFP): North Korea lashed out at the judges in the Asian Games boxing competition Saturday after Ri Kwang-sik was defeated in a 54-kilogram quarterfinal bout by Uzbek Timur Tulyakov.

In tense scenes which revived memories of Beijing 1990, when the angry North Koreans fought with athletes and officials, Ri refused to leave the ring after the 12-7 points decision in Tulyakov's favor was announced.

Ri's coach eventually persuaded him to climb out but instead of heading towards the changing room the boxer headed menacingly towards the VIP box where International Amateur Boxing Association president Anwar Chowdhry was seated.

But before he could reach him he was headed off by officials and a policeman. North Korean coaches and officials, who promised before the competition started that they would behave in Bangkok, took him away to the training area.

Ri hauled himself off the canvas in the second round to dominate the Uzbek over the last three rounds. But the judges felt that he had taken too much punishment in the opening two rounds to recover sufficient points.

North Korean team manager Yun Sung-chul said there would be no protest although they are hoping to get Chowdhry's support.

"I think the judging was very unfair to the North Koreans in the Asian Games," said Yun. "These Games are supposed to be fair and they have not been.

"We will not protest because we still have one boxer remaining in the competition and we don't want to affect his chances.

"But we are very unhappy with the decision. Mr Chowdhry saw the fight with his own eyes and we are hoping that he will do something to help us."

But Chowdhry later refused to get involved.

"He lost seven points in the first two rounds, that was what lost him the fight," said Chowdhry.

"I personally thought the referee should have stopped the fight when he went down. He came back well but it is difficult to win when you lose seven points so early."

If the North were unhappy they should protest he added. "If they don't do, there is nothing I can do. I cannot interfere with the process," he said.

Tulyakov's victory puts him into the semi-finals along with Thai favorite Sontaya Wongprates, who defeated Malaysia's Tusoh Adnan in his quarter-final.

Also through to the semifinals in the 54kg are India's Ng- Pingko Singh, who beat Cambodia's Vireak Svay inside five rounds and Kazakhstan's Marat Mazimbayev, who ousted Mongolia's Tseyen- Oidov Davaatseren on points.