Samuel Serrano vs. Benedicto Villablanca 'Chile Controversy'

[Rover]

Rounds 4, 5 and 6,

The Champion was able to use his height and reach to pepper Benedicto with sharp punches, as
the Challenger was still in a 'semi-daze' after the hard punches at the end of Round 3.

Serrano would score with left jabs, right leads and whipping uppercuts. But Benedicto still
marched forward, and tried to slam short right hands on the Champion's cut left eye.

The Champion swept all '3' Rounds, and had a {58-54} lead after 6-Rounds.
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Round 7,

Samuel Serrano came out fast, and opened up with everything he had, but he could not hurt
Benedicto, as his punches lacked power. He did open a small cut over the Challenger's left eye,
but he failed to capitalize.

By the mid-way point in the Round, Benedicto was able to maul his way inside, and pounded the
Champion again with short chopping right hands. Benedicto took the fight away from Serrano,
as he kept him on the ropes, and slammed punches on Serrano's arms.

Round 7 for Benedicto Villablanca {10-9}.
Scorecards after 7-Rounds {67-64} Samuel Serrano
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Rounds 8 and 9,

The Challenger again pressed forward, and used his strength and compact-body to bull Serrano to the ropes,
and get under his arms.

But the Champion had a tight clam-type defense, and Benedicto could not break through Serrano's
arm defense. Occassionally, Serrano would come out of his shell, and fire back with a quick left-right
combination, before going back into a defensive-mode.

Each time Serrano moved to center-ring, he would fire a one-two, but the Challenger would use his
forward-press and push the Champion back into the ropes.

Rounds 8 and 9 .....'Even'
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Round 10,

The Champion came out and looked a bit weary. Benedicto came out charging, and again used his mauling
tactics to bull Serrano to the ropes, where he would slam him with short right hands to the top of his head.

Serrano tried to punch back, but his punches had nothing behind them. Now, Benedicto could walk through
the Champion's punches, and not fear getting hurt. The Challenger kept the Champion on the ropes, and
again worked on the cut over the right eye.

The chopping punches from the Challenger appeared to take their toll, as Serrano was not firing back, and was
content to circle, and clinch when Benedicto got in close.

Round 10 for Benedicto Villablanca {10-9}
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After 10 Rounds (Scorecards)
* Referee - Jesus Celis............97-92 (Samuel Serrano)
* Judge - Harold Lederman......96-92 (Samuel Serrano)
* Judge - Stanley Berg............96-91 (Samuel Serrano)

"Controversy To Follow"

96-91...interesting given there was 1 KD and 1 deduction.

[Rover]

Odd Scoring,,,,,

During the 'break' between Round 10 and 11,

The Champion's corner worked on the cut over Serrano's left eye which was opened up more in Round
10 by Benedicto's rough charges, with both his head an chopping right hands.

As the Bell rang for Round 11, Referee - Jesus Celis took Serrano and walked him over the Ringside Physician,
who examined the cut, and said 'No More'.

A dejected Samuel Serrano walked backed to his corner, and Benedicto Villblanca's corner erupted in his cheers
as well as the 5000 Chilean fans at the Theatre/Arena.

Referee - Jesus Celis stayed in Serrano's corner, talking over the situation while the Ring overflowed with the
Challeger's supporters. After 2-Minutes of discussion by the Rinside Officials, the Ring Announcer made the
statement that Benedicto Villablanca had won the Title by a TKO 11.

Immediatley after the fight, Samuel Serrano and Team filed a complaint with the WBA, stating the cut over
the left eye was a result of an 'intentional butt', and not a punch.

20-Days later, the WBA Championship Committee reviewed the fight film, and ruled that it was an 'intentional
butt'', and reinstated Samuel Serrano as the Champion, due to the fact that Serrano was ahead on the
'scorecards' at the time of the stoppage.

UPI Scorecard
Samuel Serrano.............. 9 - 9 - 10 - 10 - 10 ..... 10 - 9 - 10 - 10 - 9 .... {96}
Benedicto Villablanca.......10- 10- 7 --- 9 -- 9 ....... 9 -10 - 10 -- 9 - 10 ... {93}

Didn't the ref take a point away from Villablanca over that cut? Why was it originally ruled a TKO in the first place? It sounds like the ref already knew it was a butt.

[Rover]

First,,,,

Bout located at the Teatro Cauplican in Santiago, Chile.
5000+ Chilean fans surrounded the Ring, and with the 'cut controversy' it was better
to allow the Ring Announcer make the statement that Benedicto had won by a TKO 11
instead of ruling a 'Technical Decision in favor of Samuel Serrano.

If Serrano was announced as retaining his Championship by Techincal Decision after getting
pushed all over the Ring in Round 10,,,,,,,,, all hell would have broken loose.

Referee - Jesus Celis told Serrano's (Salinas Promotions) corner to file a protest with the WBA,
'after' they left Chile and got back home to safe surroundings in Puerto Rico.

As for the 'point deduction' for the head-butt in Round 3, some controversy as to when it was
'deducted' from the Scorecards. Benedicto's corner stated that they were never told that a
'point' was deducted from their fighter in Round 3, and that the Referee - Jesus Celis only
warned Benedicto 'once' in Round 3 for head use.

Sounds kind of like Riasco/Yum.