Charlie Edwards keeps world title after late blow from Julio Cesar Martinez
- Published
Edwards still has a fight record of 15 wins and one loss from 16 bouts
Great Britain's Charlie Edwards remains the WBC world flyweight champion after his fight with Mexican Julio Cesar Martinez was declared a no contest.
Edwards got hit by a number of body shots in the third round and went down, with a glove and knee on the canvas, when Martinez hit him in the ribs.
The Londoner was counted out but after the officials saw the incident on the big screens, the result was changed.
"This is the right decision. I took a knee for a purpose," said Edwards, 26.
"He finished me off with a body shot and I could not recover. Cheaters never prosper. We get in this ring to abide by the rules."
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said he had ordered a rematch.
'So late it was next week'
It was a bizarre conclusion to the fight, the second defence of the belt Edwards won last December with a win over Cristofer Rosales.
There were loud boos when the incident was replayed to the crowd, with Martinez standing in his corner with his arm raised and his corner trying to downplay the incident.
"It was so late it was next week," said promoter Eddie Hearn, who instantly appealed to the WBC to change the result.
Martinez, speaking with the help of a translator, was then interviewed in the ring but that was also drowned out by the crowd booing.
Then it was announced that the result was declared a no contest, with the decision being cheered around the arena, meaning Edwards is still the world champion.
Julio Cesar Martinez thought he had won the world title but was soon to have it taken away from him
Fury beaten by Povetkin after 12 rounds
Heavyweight Hughie Fury, the cousin of Tyson, suffered the third loss of his 24-fight career when he was beaten on points by Russian Alexander Povetkin, a former world champion.
Fury, 24, started brightly and had a narrow advantage after five rounds but struggled to make his mark from then on in a scrappy, untidy battle.
Povetkin, 15 years older, looked tired late on but Fury, who was cut near his left eye in the ninth round, was unable to take advantage, with the Russian getting the verdict by 117-111 margins on all three of the judges scorecards.
Fury lost controversially on points to Joseph Parker in a WBO title fight in September 2017 and this defeat means it will be a long time before he gets himself into title contention again.
Other undercard results
Joshua Buatsi beats Ryan Ford by seventh-round knockout
Joe Cordina beats Gavin Gwynne by unanimous decision
Savannah Marshall beats Daniele Bastieri by fifth-round knockout
James Tennyson beats Atif Shafiq by second-round knockout
Martin Joseph Ward beats Josue Bendana by fifth-round knockout
Connor Coghill beats Dean Jones on points
- Published7 December 2019
