Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, January 31, 1994 TAG: 9401310035
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LAS VEGAS LENGTH: Medium
Although he didn't even see the fight, Pernell Whitaker figures he played a part in the surprise defeat of Julio Cesar Chavez on Saturday night.
"I must watch the tape," Whitaker said in a telephone interview Sunday, several hours after Chavez lost for the first time in a 91-fight career. At least it was his first official loss.
Frankie Randall, a 15-1 underdog, knocked down Chavez and won the World Boxing Council super lightweight championship late Saturday at the MGM Grand.
"I was surprised, yet not really surprised," Whitaker said. "I figure that tough fight he had with me took a lot out of him. He'd never been through that before."
Chavez sustained the first blemish on his record when he fought a majority draw in a bid to win Whitaker's WBC welterweight title Sept. 10 in San Antonio.
While one judge and most ringside observers said they thought Whitaker won, Chavez protested loudly that he had won.
He wouldn't concede defeat Saturday night, either, and he blamed referee Richard Steele for the decision against him.
Steele penalized Chavez two points for low blows - in the seventh round and in the 11th, the round in which Chavez was knocked down for the first time in his career.
"I'm very upset with Richard Steele," Chavez said. "I protest Richard Steele's actions."
The deductions cost Chavez a split-decision victory. Without them, the card of judge Angel Luis Guzman of Puerto Rico would have favored Chavez 115-114 instead of Randall 114-113. Judge Chuck Giampa of Las Vegas scored the fight 116-111 for Randall, and judge Abraham Charvarria of Mexico favored Chavez 114-113.
"Look at the TV [videotape]," Steele said. "That's all I've got to say."
Chavez did land numerous low blows.
Ironically, Steele also figured in a controversial Chavez victory. He stopped Chavez's fight against Meldrick Taylor with two seconds left in the 12th round March 17, 1990. Taylor was on his feet and assured of a victory on two of the official scorecards if he finished the fight.
Taylor, who stopped Craig Houk in the second round of a preliminary bout Saturday night, was to have challenged Chavez in a rematch May 7. Now Chavez will meet Randall again.
"I'm not a judge, I'm just a fighter," said Randall, 32. "I don't make the decision, I just accept it. I was ready to accept anything that came out, but I thought I did a hell of a job."
Said Chavez, "You can't lose a fight with one fall [knockdown]. I thought I won. I respect Frankie Randall, but out of 12 rounds he won three.
"He never hurt me. How could I lose?"
He lost because of Randall's jab and his counter-punching and his willingness to go toe-to-toe with Chavez.
"I'm an all-around professional fighter," said Randall, who although a decided underdog went into the fight with a 48-2-1 record, including 39 knockouts. "It was not an idle boast."
Chavez appeared hurt by the right hand that knocked him down in the 11th round. He was fortunate that only several seconds remained in the round after he got up.
Guzman scored the round 10-7 for Randall, deducting one point from Chavez for hitting low and one point for being knocked down. Charvarria and Giampa each deducted a penalty point from Chavez but did not subtract a point for the knockdown.
It was the first title fight for Randall, of Morristown, Tenn., who said he had considered quitting boxing several times.
"I made it," he said. "I went through hell getting here, but I got it."
Two other championship fights were on the card.
Felix Trinidad won a one-sided decision over fellow-Puerto Rican Hector Camacho and retained the International Boxing Federation welterweight title. Trinidad, 21, has a 23-0 record with 19 knockouts.
Simon Brown, making his first defense of the WBC super welterweight title he won on a shocking fourth-round knockout of Terry Norris, punched out a majority decision over Australia's Troy Waters. Judge Chung Dae-Eun of South Korea scored the fight 114-114, but Brown won by four and seven points on the other two scorecards.
by CNB