It’s Strange! Barthelemy Kayoes Mendez After The Bell to Win IBF Title, Result Appealed
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
Minneapolis, MN (January 4th, 2013)– According to promoter Iron Mike Tyson, “We (all) heard the bell ring ending the second round, and then we saw Argenis Mendez get hit twice (and knocked out).”
In a strange outcome, Rances ‘Kid Blast’ Barthelemy of Cuba is-for the moment-the new international Boxing Federation World Junior Lightweight champion. Barthelemy, now 20-0, with 13 knockouts, Miami, Florida, scored an ‘after the bell’ second round knockout of Argenis Mendez, now 21-3-1, 11 knockouts, San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic. The IBF world championship bout was the main event of an ESPN2 fight card broadcast on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, January 4, 2013, from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Teddy Atlas provided expert commentary. Iron Mike Tyson co-promoted the event for Iron Mike Productions with Leon Margules and Warriors Boxing, and was in the ring before the televised main event. The second of the two punches causing the knockout by Barthelemy apparently was thrown and landed after the bell had sounded, meaning the outcome could be reversed in favor of Mendez by disqualification, or result on a no-contest.
Referee Pete Podgorski eitherdid a shoddy job, or he just did not hear the bell. Neither did television viewers, apparently, who all believed the knockout combination was legitimate when Teddy atlas said so when it fact it was not. Initially, Barthelemy had dropped Mendez late in the second round with a left hook to the liver, followed by a left hook to the head, putting Mendez on his back. Mendez beat the count, and immediately went into a shell on the defensive. His defense proved to be an egg shell shielding a glass chin. Barthelemy landed a right to the head over the top, then the bell sounded. Barthelemy then followed with a left hook between Mendez’ upraised gloves, and dropped Mendez for the ten count, supposedly at 2:59 of the second round. Mendez struggled to get up, but could not. However, the time listed on BoxRec is incorrect. It was already 3:00 plus a fraction, meaning the second round had already ended before Barthelemy had thrown the knockout blow.
Explanation of The Outcome of the IBF Championship Bout and Why it Occurred
For an outcome of No-Contest to result, the Barthelemy corner would have to be able to substantiate their fighter had not heard the bell ending the round. From the television telecast, this point was not completely clear. However, commentator Teddy Atlas appeared not to hear the bell ending the round either, as he proceeded to call the end of the bout as if the knockout was legitimate. However, it was apparent to all spectators at Target Center in attendance the bell had rung after Barthelemy had thrown the right hook, and referee Pete Podgorski had failed to separate the fighters after the round had ended. Barthelemy then landed a left hook and knocked Mendez out after the round was long over.
The bell ending the second round was not recognized by referee Podgorski for some reason. It was a poor refereeing job in the view of many. ESPN’s Bernardo Osuna confirmed the Barthelemy camp will file an appeal with the Minnesota Office of Competitive Sports. In any case, appeal or not to the commission and / or the IBF sanctioning body, the International Boxing Federation will not allow a world title belt to be won illegally, and will return the belt to Barthelemy and allow him to retain his title no matter what Minnesota does. The IBF could order a rematch between Mendez and Barthelemy in the near future.
Of greater interest was the hard fought televised ten round draw between middleweights Ossie Duran of Accra, Ghana, and local favorite Caleb Truax of Osseo, Minnesota. Truax, 23-1-2, 13 knockouts, had won all of his bouts inside Minnesota, but had lost his only bout outside of Minnesota, a ten round decision loss to former world middleweight champion Jermaine Taylor. Ossie Duran, now 28-11-3, 11 knockouts, exposed Caleb Truax as an overhyped fighter. Truax’ record includes wins over Don George and Cerresso Fort.
Ossie Duran had little trouble in this bout, walking Truax down, and landing jabs frequently with both hands to keep Truax off balance. Truax fired back, and threw more punches, but Duran was far more accurate. Duran landed 121 of 447 punches overall, compared to Truax landing 106 of 678 punches thrown. The number of punches landed were close enough to justify a draw, and that is the way the close hard fought bout came out. All three judges had the bout scored 95-95 a draw. Duran, as he stated in his split decision loss to Brandon Gonzales previously, felt he had won the bout and had beaten Truax fair and square. Juding appeared neutral and fair. Neither fighter did enough to tip the scoring in their favor, with Truax doing best over the last three rounds as Duran slowed down a bit. Duran was not marked, nor bothered by any punch Truax threw.
On the undercard, in a battle of unbeaten light middleweights, 7-0 Javontae Starks scored a six round split decision win over 6-0 Limberth Ponce. Welterweight prospect Erickson Lubin knocked out Luis Santiago at 1:01 of the first round.
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