15 Rounds.com has learned that the District of Columbia Boxing and Wrestling Commission has apparently decided to uphold the decision made in the ring on August 15 concerning the fight between Ishmail Arvin and Anthony Thompson.
Officially Arvin was awarded the victory by TKO 6 in the scheduled 12 rounder when Thompson was unable to continue due to a severe cut over his left eye. The injury was ruled to have been caused by a punch as referee Malik Waleed did not see the head butt that was discovered after the round by ESPN’s video replay.
The replay was shown to Waleed, the Commission, and an IBO supervisor but the decision stood. On August 18 IBO President Ed Levine sent off a letter asking that the commission review the final decision. The fight was for the IBO’s USBO Jr. Middleweight title.
On August 28, Levine released a statement that read in part that, “The USBO had previously withheld and now officially withdraws title recognition to Ishmail Arvin with regard to the disputed fight against Anthony Thompson…”
The commission replied to Levine as follows below:
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING ADMINISTRATION
* * *
D.C. BOXING AND WRESTLING COMMISSION
Edward S. Levine, President
International Boxing Organization
Coral Gables, Fl
Re: Anthony Thompson vs. Ishmail Arvin
USBO Junior Middleweight Title- August 15th, 2008
Dear Mr. Levine:
The District of Columbia Boxing and Wrestling Commission (Commission) is in receipt of your letter dated August 18, 2008, concerning the above-captioned matter. By your letter, you formally request that the Commission review the final decision. Further, you “strongly recommend” that we change the ruling and award either a ”technical decision” to Anthony Thompson or, in the alternative, declare this fight a “no decision” due to a head butt which caused injury to Mr. Thompson and precluded him from continuing the fight.
In this instance, Malik Waleed, the referee, did not witness a head butt, nor was a head butt alleged by anyone within the timing of the bout itself. Further, at the end of Round Three, which video footage shows the head butt to have occurred, no one from Mr. Thompson’s comer, including the fighter himself, signaled or alerted the referee, or anyone from the Commission. Only after the fight was stopped, and video footage on ESPN was introduced ringside to the parties, did the head butt assertion
emerge from the Thompson camp.
While you are correct in your contention that our local rules do not specifically provide for the use of TV replays to assist the referee during or immediately after the fight, and that there is nothing in our rules Which would prohibit the Commission’s use of video evidence subsequent to the fight to rectify an untenable result, those rules are not at issue here.
Rather, all relevant parties, including the Commission, agreed to observe the Rules and Regulations of the International Boxing Organization governing World Championship contests (I.B.O. Rules).
Pursuant to I.B.O. Rules, specifically in the referee section that reads ”the referee shall be the only person authorized to determine if injuries were the result of legal blows, accidental fouls or intentional fouls.” Therefore, the Commission has no authority to overrule the determination made by referee Malik Waleed.
Further, the I.B.O. Rules state in the miscellaneous section that reads “in an event of a dispute concerning the interpretation or application of these rules, the I.B.O. Fight Commissioner in attendance shall be the final arbiter.”
Hilton Whitaker, III, the I.B.O. Fight Commissioner in attendance, served in
that capacity. Accordingly, when the issue of the alleged head butt and the ESPN video were brought to the attention of the participating officials and the Commission, Mr. Whitaker was not only consulted, but was in fact central to the discussion, interpretation, and execution of the fight decision. More importantly, in interpreting the I.B.O. Rules, the I.B.O itself, through Mr. Whitaker, made the determination that the video tape would not be used and, thus, Ishmail Arvin would be declared the winner by technical knockout.
While the Commission agrees that there is a need to protect the integrity of the sport, the Commission finds that the final decision was made in accordance to the rules we all agreed to follow, as interpreted by I.B.O., and therefore must stand.
Finally, in seeking to avoid this type of controversy in future contests, the I.B.O. may want to consider amending its rules to allow for the use of video evidence subsequent to a match to rectify what it considers an untenable result.
If you have any questions or concerns that may linger regarding this matter, please feel tree to contact me directly. The Commission would welcome a rematch in Washington, D.C.; so that a fair and true champion might emerge…an outcome we all want to see.
Jason E. Turner, Chairman
DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission
On September 10, Levine responded to the commission as follows:
Ref: Anthony Thompson vs. Ishmail Arvin
USBO Junior Middleweight Title – August 15th, 2008
Dear Mr. Turner:
Thank you for your response to my letter of August 18th, 2008. Please permit me to restate the I.B.O.’s position at this time.
While the decision on the night of the fight and immediately after the fight was made within a strict interpretation of the rules governing the contest, nevertheless there is nothing in I.B.O. Rules, nor to my knowledge in your rules, which would preclude reviewing available evidence and changing a decision after the event.
There is much precedent wherein many state jurisdictions have reviewed bouts (with video tape or any other available evidence) subsequent to the event, and thereafter changed a decision made on the night of the fight.
Furthermore, I can confirm that our supervisor, Mr. Hilton Whitaker, III, after further reviewing the evidence, can and will recommend to the D.C. Commission that the decision be changed.
We respectfully request that you reconsider your position in the interest of fair play and sportsmanship. Let’s just make this right. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely
Edward S. Levine
I.B.O. President