THE IBF have reacted to the absurd split decision result for Ryan Burnett over Lee Haskins at the weekend, acknowledging that there was an “error with the scorecards.”
Judge Clark Sammartino scored the bout 118-108 in favour of Haskins, who had been dropped twice, while Burnett was awarded two scores of 119-107.
It was later revealed that Sammartino had – somehow – got the two boxers mixed up, despite them both having their names on their shorts.
“On Saturday, June 10, 2017 the IBF Bantamweight bout between Lee Haskins and Ryan Burnett held at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Ireland was ruled a split decision victory for Burnett as a result of an error with the scorecards,” the IBF statement read.
“Due to this error, in which one of the scores after each round was recorded on the individual scorecards for the incorrect fighter, the bout was declared a split decision when it should have been ruled a unanimous decision in favour of Burnett. An error of this nature and at this level of the sport should not have occurred.”
British Boxing Board of Control General Secretary Robert Smith said that Sammartino would “not be back” judging fights in the UK after his farcical card.
However, the IBF were noticeably noncommittal about the future of the judge.
“The IBF carefully considers the officials it recommends for appointment to a bout. Judge Clark Sammartino has been a member of the IBF for many years and has been a solid, reliable and consistent judge,” the statement continued.
“He has an active officiating career and has worked at the world-class level. The IBF remains committed to recommending qualified and reliable officials to work its sanctioned bouts, and is fully intent on deterring a situation such as this one from occurring again in the future.”
