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.