By Scott Gilfoid: In a truly poorly scored fight, the talented #3 WBC light heavyweight champion Isaac Chilemba (20-1-2, 9 KO’s) was robbed in a fight against WBC Silver light heavyweight champion Tony Bellew (19-1-1, 12 KO’s) on Saturday night at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK. The final judges scores were 116-112 for Chilema, 116-115 for Bellew, and 114-114 even.
I had Chlemba winning 9 rounds to 3 in an even win over the constantly missing Bellew. Chilemba clowned Bellew in the last 8 rounds of the fight, making him miss constantly with his shots and backing him all the time.
I thought Bellew should have been docked points for a head-butt and push after the bell in the 1st round. I don’t know how the British referee allowed this to happen without taking points off because that kind of thing should have led to a point deduction.
Bellew held in hit in the 1st round, and that should resulted in him having points deducted. At the end of the 5th, Bellew hit Chilemba after the bell, and again nothing from the referee. It was pretty sad to see how he let all these fouls go.
Former WBC light heavyweight champion John Conteh scored the fight a draw. He felt that Chilemba dominated the second half of the fight, as I did. Of course, I had Chilemba winning three of the first six rounds as well by making Bellew miss with his shots.
After the fight, Bellew bellyached and tried to convince Chilemba that he should have won the fight by saying that his trainer Buddy McGirt had told him that he thought Bellew had won the fight. Chilemba showed pure class by ignoring Bellew, who was acting like a child that didn’t get his way. I like how Chilemba showed class by not getting in the gutter with Bellew.
Bellew said “I thought I had that fight. I took a stupid round off in the 6th or 7th, and let him back in the fight. I don’t know what to say. I believe I done enough.”
A truly classy Chilemba said “I think I deserved the victory. I thought I lost two or three rounds.”
I totally agree with Chilemba. I had him losing only three rounds, as he easily out-boxed the constantly missing Bellew.
It was interesting to see how timid Bellew became in the last 8 rounds of the fight. I mean, he started off angry almost, fouling and trying to take the fight to Chilemba. However, after Bellew tasted some of Chilemba’s power in the 9th, Bellew stopped coming forward and played it safe from then. Bellew was constantly missing and it was like he was a blind or someone that was totally uncoordinated.
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