JAPANESE PROTEST

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32053, 30 July 1969, Page 19

JAPANESE PROTEST

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) TOKYO. Many protests came from Japanese boxing circles about the outcome of the FamechonHarada world featherweight title fight in Sydney on Monday night.

The defending champion, Johnny Famechon, was awarded the fight against Fighting Harada, but only after a recount of the referee’s scoring. Even had the 15-round fight been drawn, Famechon would have retained the title he won in another controversial decision from a Cuban, Rose Legra, in London last year. Most of the 800 spectators thought Harada had won the bout and demonstrated against the referee, Mr 1 . Pep, an American. One of Japan’s biggest boxing promoters, the Fuji Television Company, immediately called for another fight in Tokyo. A spokesman for Fuji, which relayed the bout live to about 10m viewers in Japan, said there had been a flood of angry protests at the referee’s decision. The spokesman said: “When Lionel Rose came to Tokyo for his two title fights here we prepared impartial judges and returned impartial decisions. “This time there was a quite partial decision in Syd-; ney and fans of Harada have deep complaints. We feel; strongly that the fight should be held again in Tokyo.” Shozo Saijo, of Japan, the World Boxing Association’s world feather-weight champion, said he considered Harada won by at least three points.

Saijo’s manager, Mr M. Kanehira, said he was prepared to let Harada fight for Saijo’s crown. The HaradaFamechon match was for the World Boxjng Council’s crown. The Australian press re-

acted harshly to the decision in a mood reminiscent of that of British boxing critics after Famechon’s win over Legra. Most said that Harada—the aggressor—should have won. Mr J. Rennie, managertrainer of the Australian world bantam-weight champion, Lionel Rose, who beat Harada in Tokyo in February last year, said he thought Famechon had won because of Harada’s failure to apply the pressure in the middle rounds.

However, Rose visited Harada in the dressing-room to tell him that he thought he had won.

Famechon said after the fight that he had injured his right ankle during the middle stages of the bout and was handicapped in his evasive tactics for the rest of the fight.

X-rays yesterday revealed that Famechon had sprained an ankle tendon.