A CONTROVERSIAL referee's call has added an unwanted acronym to the sporting resume of Northland cruiserweight boxer Mohamed Azzaoui: KO.
Azzaoui was knocked down in the first round of a fight against rising cruiserweight star Yoan Pablo Hernandez in Germany yesterday.
The Kerikeri timber mill worker was caught flush on the jaw
by a straight left in the closing seconds of the opening round and went down.
But in the confusion the referee failed to count out loud, and by the time he had sent Hernandez back to his corner and turned to face Azzaoui, he declared him knocked out.
By that time Azzaoui was back on his feet and ready to resume, but the referee told him he had been down for a full count and the fight was over.
It was a disappointing end for Azzaoui and his entourage, who were hoping to use the bout as a launching pad into the big time of professional boxing, but are now resigned to heading home for a rethink.
Manager Anthony Warren said at no stage did the referee count, but when he declared the fight over by knock out he told Azzaoui he had "been counting in his head" and therefore the bout was over.
"Mohamed was furious and we had to rein him in a wee bit. It was a bit of a shame but yet again one of those things we just have to live with," Warren said.
So now Azzaoui has 22 wins and two draws and one loss by knockout from his 26 professional fights.
That knockout is something every professional boxer dreads to have on his resume, but the circumstances of this one will burn every time he reads it.
"To be frank, it was very controversial and afterwards even the promoters and officials came in and apologised, they all knew what had happened was wrong," Warren said.
But Warren doubts if the decision will have many - if any - long term repercussions for Azzaoui, as he had made tentative arrangements for more professional bouts just hours after the fight in Germany had finished.
"We're philosophical about this. We're upset and disappointed but we're not about to let it get us too down.
"I am not saying Hernandez would not have beaten us, but losing like that is a bit annoying."
Warren said Azzaoui was now heading directly home to Kerikeri and was likely to take a well earned rest before considering his next move.
