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With close to 10.000 spectators
cheering him on, Brazils World
Boxing Federation (WBF) World
Super Welterweight Champion
Anderson Clayton made a
successful, albeit
controversial, first defense of
his title against Argentinean
Dario Fabian Pucheta on Saturday
October 12 at the Ginásio de
Esportes Paschoal Thomeu in
Guarulhos, Sao Paolo.
Defending his crown in his home
town in front of family, friends
and fans, after winning the WBF
World title in France last April
dethroning local favorite
Sebastien Madani, it was an
emotional night for the
34-year-old Clayton, and he
probably preferred the victory
to have come in a different way
than it did.
Fighting live on nationwide TV,
it looked as if both combatants
were determined to put on a good
show as they came out strong and
fast from the first second.
Clayton looked confident in
controlling the first minute,
while Pucheta seemed focused on
taking the fight to the ropes
where he could get off some of
his quick combinations.
During the first five rounds the
bout continued with the
defending champion in control,
landing good shots to body and
head and pulling away on the
scorecards. But in the sixth it
looked as if Pucheta suddenly
found his groove and managed to
cut off the ring well to land
heavy shots on Clayton.
What looked like an interesting
fight in process, quickly turned
into bitter disappointment as
Pucheta decided to punch Clayton
in a clinch after referee Juan
Jose Ramirez from Mexico had
called out break. Clayton fell
to the canvas, claiming to be
very hurt from the illegal
punch.
Ramirez gave Clayton five
minutes to recuperate, but the
ringside doctor decided he was
not fit to continue.
Consequently the WBF supervisor
decided that the fight should go
to the scorecards, which had
Clayton ahead by 69-63 (Jorge
Tripodi Falco), 68-64 (Osvaldo
Zuanella) and 58-56 from
Argentinean judge Daniel Mario
Gomez, who left ringside
immediately and refused to score
the seventh round.
Mr. Gomez will never again be
allowed to work a WBF title
fight!
With the unsatisfactory victory,
Anderson Clayton improved his
professional record to 43-8
(37), while Pucheta travels back
to Buenos Aires at 17-2 (8).
Promoted by William Paiva, the
Clayton vs. Pucheta WBF World
title fight was a charity event,
as one general admission ticket
was given in exchange for one
kilo of rice or beans, which
will now be handed out to needy
people in the area.
Mr. Paiva, who owns three boxing
gyms in Sao Paolo where he
encourage youth to box instead
of getting involved with drugs,
also runs a clinic to help
addicts and has devoted much of
his life to help the local
community.
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