Sunday night`s boxing event in Birmingham featured Ben Whittaker correcting the outcome of his first bout with Liam Cameron, securing a decisive second-round victory in their rematch. The card showcased numerous local fighters, including Sam Eggington.
Smethwick-born Sam Eggington, holding a record of 36 wins and 9 losses with 20 knockouts, delivered an upset win against Lee Cutler (15-2, 7 KOs). The fight concluded via technical decision, earning Eggington the WBC International Silver super-welterweight title. However, in the days following the contest, Cutler and his team decided to file an appeal against the result.
Typically seen as a tough, aggressive, and rugged competitor, Eggington displayed moments of his often-underappreciated boxing skills. He effectively used a strong jab consistently throughout the bout, which, despite being scrappy, was action-packed.
The fight ended prematurely due to a cut above Eggington`s eye. This injury, ruled as being caused by an accidental head clash in the second round, deteriorated as the fight progressed. After medical consultation, the bout was stopped after eight and a half rounds, sending the decision to the judges` scorecards.
Although Cutler appeared to be gaining momentum, Eggington`s work in the earlier rounds proved crucial. The seasoned domestic fighter was awarded a unanimous decision victory, with scorecards reading 87-85, 87-85, and a wide 90-83 from one judge.
It has since been revealed that Cutler`s manager, Jake McGuigan, contacted WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman and submitted an appeal against the fight outcome. They contend that the cut was caused by a legitimate punch, not an accidental clash of heads as ruled by the referee.
The WBC confirmed receiving the official appeal regarding the Birmingham fight, which was televised by Sky Sports Boxing. Their statement noted that Lee Cutler lost the title via technical decision due to Eggington`s cut, which the referee attributed to an accidental headbutt. The appeal argues that video evidence clearly shows the cut resulted from a legal punch. The WBC stated that since instant replay is not permitted in the UK, a corresponding panel will review all aspects of the case.
In response to these claims, Eggington spoke with Boxing News, maintaining that Cutler frequently led with his head during the fight, which he believes either caused the initial cut or significantly worsened it. He humorously remarked, “it was like boxing Zinedine Zidane in there!”
“I`ve had six stitches over each eye,” Eggington stated. “Whether one started by a cut makes no difference because it was 100 per cent made worse by headbutts. The other eye was [caused by] headbutts only, in that case where is his argument?”
“I`ve never moaned about anything in this game; win, lose, or draw,” he continued, “but if I was made to rematch someone for the reasons that he has put forward then I would refuse.”
Eggington expressed his view that Cutler is “100 percent trying to find a loophole” and that after a previous win, he`s now “back at square one.” He added, “Some of us dust ourselves off and get back to work and some of us are little [expletive] that try and find a loophole to get back to where they were.”
Both Eggington and Cutler now await the WBC`s decision on the appeal, and any change to the fight`s outcome or an order for a rematch is certain to spark further debate.
