JAPANESE Olympic gold medallist Ryota Murata suffered the first loss of his professional career in controversial circumstances at the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, Japan. Hassan D’Dam N’Jikam took a split decision over Murata on Saturday (May 20).
Raul Caiz Sr scored it 117-110 for Murata but Gustavo Padilla awarded it 116-11 for N’Jikam and Hubert Earle had it 115-112 for N’Jikam as well.
N’Jikam wins a ‘regular’ middleweight title from the WBA (Gennady Golovkin is the WBA’s ‘Super champion).
But the president of the WBA, Gilberto J. Mendoza, distanced himself from the result. His personal score was 117-110 for Murata. He took to Twitter to say: “I feel angry and frustrating for not being able to serve the sport with the right decisions.
“First of all let me apologize to Ryota Murata, Teiken Promotions and ALL Japanese boxing fans.”
He says he will speak to their championship committee to order a rematch.
The following day at the same venue Naoya Inoue knocked out Ricardo Rodriguez in three rounds to defend the WBO super-flyweight title.
