Mullings cries foul - Jamaican boxer appeals to WBC after loss to Guyana's Atwell

Jamaica's Sakima Mullings is appealing to the World Boxing Council (WBC) to either set aside his loss Saturday night to Guyana's Clive Atwell, or order an immediate rematch.

In what was only the second defeat of his professional career, Mullings (17-2) lost in a split decision to Atwell at the Clifford Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown, Guyana, in their WBC Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) welterweight title fight, under what the Jamaican described as controversial circumstances.

The Guyanese judge scored the fight 118-111 for Atwell, while Jamaica's Clifford Brown scored the bout 116-114 for Mullings. A Trinidadian judge scored the fight 116-114 for the hometown boxer.

issues with the referee

However, Mullings laid the blame for the loss at the feet of the referee, Ian Jardene. He had planned to send his appeal to the fight supervisor before the day ended yesterday.

The 2014 Wray & Nephew Contender champion explained that Atwell headbutted him in the middle rounds, opening a cut over his left eye that caused blood to flow into the eye. The Guyanese referee, he said, ruled that the cut was caused by a legal punch.

However, Mullings said the ring doctor, who looked at the cut after the fight, told him it was too deep to have been caused by a punch.

"The right side of my face has bruises, so how come Atwell suddenly found the extra strength to cause that deep a cut," he said.

WBC rules

Under WBC rules, Mullings said, at least one point should have been deducted from Atwell, two if the headbutt was deemed to be intentional. He said he is unable to say with any certainty that Atwell's action was intentional.

Mullings also believes points should have been deducted from Atwell for excessive holding throughout the fight, but especially in the championship rounds, when he hurt the Guyanese boxer.

"I had him knocked out on his feet in the 11th round," he said, but Atwell kept on holding excessively. "The referee should have warned him and deducted a point."

The aggrieved Jamaican also said that earlier in the fight, he put his Guyanese opponent down with a punch, yet the referee ruled that the fighter had slipped.

"I am not trying to take anything from the fight, because it was a good fight, but if those points were deducted, the outcome may have been different," said Mullings, who needed five stitches to close the cut, shortly before he had to depart for the airport to catch his flight back to Jamaica.

"I started off slowly, but I finished strong. I had him out on his feet. I was in great shape. If my face had not been chopped up, I would have done the Sigma Run."

Mullings hopes the WBC grants him a rematch in three or four months, adding that he regrets not asking for a neutral referee.