Tszyu and Mahoney camps exchange verbal barbs after controversial draw
While Nikita Tszyu and Ben Mahoney were gracious towards each other, the same could not be said about their respective promoters in a testy post-script.
Following the controversial Gold Coast draw between Nikita Tszyu and Ben Mahoney, both camps have engaged in heated exchanges. Tszyu's promoters, No Limit Boxing, have defended their integrity after the controversial result. Mahoney, who claimed any rematch would not take place on a No Limit card, criticized the decision, stating it was a difficult pill to swallow.
The split decision, awarded 117-111 to Tszyu by experienced judge Phillip Holliday, sparked debate. Fellow judges Sabrina Kerr and Carl Zappia scored the fight 115-113 and 114-114 respectively, resulting in a draw. Tszyu conceded that Mahoney was the better boxer, while No Limit boss George Rose challenged the decision, asserting that Mahoney deserved a favorable outcome.
Mahoney's promoter, Mick Francis, announced he would seek an official review of Holliday's scoring, expressing his open-mindedness towards a potential rematch but firmly stating it would not be on a No Limit card. Tszyu later retracted his previous comments, acknowledging that he was disappointed with the lack of clinicality in the bout.
The tension between the two camps remained high, with No Limit boss Rose refusing to back down from his stance despite Mahoney's assertion that the rematch would not occur on a Tasman card.
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