“PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD,” ACCORDING TO SIRB
Pittsburgh, PA- A promising showdown of quality American heavyweights came to a disappointingly abrupt end Friday night after four rounds, when local southwestern Pennsylvanian Brian Minto (34-2, 21 KOs) was awarded a technical decision over South Carolina’s Donnell Holmes (31-1-2, 27 KOs) after suffering a cut over his eye. The crowd voiced its displeasure over the early stoppage, and questions were raised as to the appropriateness of both the stoppage and the decision. Pennsylvania Commissioner Greg Sirb answered those questions in a Saturday conversation.
WAS IT A HEAD BUTT OR A PUNCH?
Minto clearly won the first three rounds, applying effective pressure and mixing a head and body attack. In the fourth, it was unclear whether a cut over Minto’s eye came from a punch or an accidental head butt, but the blood appeared to invigorate Holmes, who had his best round, a close, competitive one. After the round, the officials huddled over Minto, and Sirb appeared to give referee Rick Steigerwald the signal to call the fight. Steigerwald did so, and it went to the cards, where the judges appropriately scored it 40-36 (twice) and 39-37, all for Minto. The controversy, however, rested upon whether the cut came from a butt or a punch and whether the fight should have been stopped.
SIRB GIVES THE INSIDE DETAIILS
According to Sirb, immediately after the round Steigerwald informed the judges that the cut came from an accidental head butt. The ringside physician took a look and advised the ref to stop it, which he did. Sirb said the cut was in a “bad spot,” a “diagonal” one that was on the brow and eyelid. Did Minto ask for the fight to be stopped? According to Sirb, no – though he was hurt to some degree by the butt, the fight was halted due to the severity of the cut.
REVIEW COMING BY ATHLETIC COMMISSION
Sirb said that he will review the video Monday, and the decision will only be reversed if the cut clearly came from a punch. In that event, the Athletic Commission would have to also decide whether to rule it a no contest or TKO for Holmes. Sirb commented that the commission, when changing decisions, usually calls them no contests, but that it has the authority to completely reverse the decision where appropriate. It was evident in speaking with Sirb, however, that the Commission is more comfortable with the idea of making outcomes “no contests” than with reversing Ws and Ls, probably to protect the idea that fighters’ records should be determined in the ring on fight night to the extent possible.
A LOOK AT TWO AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHTS
Neither Minto nor Holmes looks a serious threat to the double-headed heavyweight Klitschko monster, but both make for quality American competition at the next tier. Holmes, a physical presence, carried 225 pounds of muscle while towering over the local; however, he needs to commit to his punches and control the action if he wants to do more than dominate the Carolina boxing scene. Under new trainer, the great Freddie Roach, Minto looked how everybody seems to under Roach – sharper, tighter and more in control. Roach, by the way, with all of the acclaim he receives, probably doesn’t get enough credit for the work he does with the very good but non-elite, the Peter Manfredos and Mintos of the boxing world. On Friday night, they both showed enough to keep the packed ballpark wanting more – how about a rematch?
Brian Gorman