Saturday, February 10, 2007

GOULET, HIOKI’S TKO 28 VICTORIES STIR CONTROVERSY


By Mike Russell

TKO’s latest offering “Inevitable” proved to be anything but Friday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, as two of the three main event fights ended in controversy. First, during the welterweight match-up with Jonathan Goulet and Thomas Schulte, Goulet was awarded the TKO victory after the bell had sounded to end the first round. The ring official apparently failed to hear the bell and allowed the fight to go on for 3 seconds after. Even more puzzling than the decision was the official time of the TKO over Schulte – 5:00 of round one. Schulte’s camp plans to launch a protest to the decision and TKO CEO Stephane Patry voiced his support of the grievance during the post-fight media conference.

“It was incorrect. But honestly, it was something that happened with the commission and I really don’t want to comment as I don’t want to take anything away from what Jonathan [Goulet] did tonight,” Patry explained. “I’m sure Schulte and his management will talk to the commission. What happened was, the referee didn’t hear the end of the round and when he stopped the fight the round was over for like three or four seconds. So technically, as per the rules, he shouldn’t have declared Jonathan the winner.”

Another controversial decision expected to be addressed with a pair of grievances on Monday morning when the Quebec Athletic Commission opens for business, is the majority decision victory win of Japan’s Hatsu Hioki over London, Ontario native Mark “The Machine” Hominick. Both Hominick’s manager, Shawn Tompkins, and TKO are launching an appeal to have the Athletic Commission’s decision overturned. Hioki’s corner was quoted, through their interpreter, as saying that they believed that Hominick had won. The fact that Hioki had to be helped into the press conference by one of his coaches and that he sat with an ice pack pressed against his almost unrecognizable, punch-weathered face was an indicator that a scoring error was made.

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