Argenis Mendez got his IBF Jr. Lightweight title back after the Minnesota commission ruled his January 3rd bout with Rances Barthelemy a no contest after the deciding blow that caused a 2nd round stoppage came after the bell.
“This a great day for boxing. The decision proves there is justice and integrity in the sport,” Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight champion and Mendez’s promoter, said in a statement to ESPN.com.
Ken B. Peterson, Minnesota’s commissioner of the department of labor and industry, agreed. He wrote in his ruling, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN.com, that he had reviewed video of the fight — which was nationally televised on ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights” — and the materials submitted by attorneys for both sides.
“In addition, I have considered input provided by referee Peter Podgorski and consulted with an ad hoc committee of the Minnesota Combative Sports Advisory Council regarding this grievance,” Peterson wrote. “My decision in this case is that the fight will be ruled a no decision.”
“The video replay presented by both parties as evidence clearly shows the knockout punch was after the bell had sounded. No evidence was presented that Mr. Barthelemy intentionally threw foul punches. The punches were an accidental foul which caused the knockout that ended the fight.”
“I think this is the right result. You never know until the decision comes down how it will go,” attorney Patrick English, who represents Mendez, told ESPN.com. “It looks as though they consulted the referee, which I am pleased to have seen.”
“I think they were wrong because the referee did not call a foul and my understanding of the rules is the only person who can call a foul is the referee,” said Barthelemy’s promoter Leon Margules. “He is the only person who can say it’s a foul, so it’s a bad interpretation of the rules.”
