PROMOTER Eddie Hearn has revealed the judge who farcically scored Lee Haskins the winner against Ryan Burnett had mistaken the two fightersโ identities.
Burnett won the IBF bantamweight title in only his 17th professional fight by producing a thoroughly polished performance to convincingly outbox and almost stop the defending champion.
Two judges awarded him scores of 119-107, after knockdowns in the sixth and 11th rounds, but the scorecard of Americaโs Clark Sammartino read 118-108 for Haskins, ensuring a split decision when a unanimous one was deserved.
Well done to new champ @ryanburnett01. Credit to @LeeHaskins118 for sticking it out while injured. Many others may have quit. Respect boys ????
โ Carl Frampton MBE (@RealCFrampton) June 10, 2017
The Northern Irishman, 25, is expected to make the first defence of his title back in Belfast before the yearโs end despite suffering a significant cut over his right eye after an accidental clash of heads.
He excelled in beating Bristolโs 33-year-old Haskins more convincingly than any other, but Hearn explained: โApparently the judge asked one of the photographers, โWhich oneโs Lee Haskins?โ and the photographer said โIn the red cornerโ.
โI think he asked him a couple of times, and I presume he thought, โThe red shortsโ.
โBut frightening, frightening that your future can be put in the hands of someone like that. I donโt mean to be disrespectful because heโs an old gentleman and Iโm sure heโs judged many fights, but that could have gone horribly wrong.
Time to celebrate so we’ll leave you with this ???????? @ryanburnett01 #AndTheNew #HaskinsBurnett pic.twitter.com/rcyoibfX4C
โ Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) June 11, 2017
โHe scored two 10-8 rounds to Haskins! His scorecard was excellent: it was just the wrong way around. Heโs 80-odd; Iโve never seen anything like it.
โI presume the split decision will be revoked. Itโll be a unanimous decision, it must be. But Iโve never seen anything like it.โ
Burnett, long considered Northern Irelandโs long-term successor to Carl Frampton, also emulated Wayne McCullough, another world champion, by winning world honours in his 17th fight, and he said: “Honestly, things like that shouldnโt be happening, especially at world level, but it did, and it is what it is.
โAbsolutely not (it wonโt bother me if the record always reads as a split decision).
โI almost fainted in the ring. I thought, โTheyโre going to take it off me hereโ. Thank God the decision went in the right direction.โ