French champion Hassan N'Dam celebrates his win as Japanese challenger Ryota Murata, right, returns to his corner after their WBA middleweight boxing world title match in Tokyo, Saturday, May 20, 2017. Toru Takahashi / AP Photo
French champion Hassan N'Dam celebrates his win as Japanese challenger Ryota Murata, right, returns to his corner after their WBA middleweight boxing world title match in Tokyo, Saturday, May 20, 2017. Toru Takahashi / AP Photo
French champion Hassan N'Dam celebrates his win as Japanese challenger Ryota Murata, right, returns to his corner after their WBA middleweight boxing world title match in Tokyo, Saturday, May 20, 2017
WBA chief demands rematch ‘to repair damage’ after Hassan N’Dam wins controversial decision over Ryota Murata
The head of the World Boxing Association (WBA) has demanded a rematch after Frenchman Hassan N’Dam won the middleweight title on a controversial split decision over Japan’s Ryota Murata.
TOKYO // The head of the World Boxing Association (WBA) has demanded a rematch after Frenchman Hassan N’Dam won the middleweight title on a controversial split decision over Japan’s Ryota Murata.
N’Dam took the vacant world title in Tokyo on Saturday despite being knocked down by the 2012 Olympic champion Murata and taking punishment for much of the fight.
WBA president Gilberto Mendoza took to Twitter on Sunday to voice his disdain, writing: “After judging the bout my scorecard is 117-110 for Murata.”
“First of all, let me apologise to Ryota Murata... and all Japanese boxing fans. There are no words to repair the damage.
“I will demand the championship committee to order a direct rematch.”
Two judges scored in favour of N’Dam, one by 116-111 and the other by 115-112, triggering boos from the Japanese crowd. The other judge gave the fight to Murata 117-110.
“I feel angry and frustrated for not being able to serve the sport with the right decisions,” tweeted Mendoza. “I am disappointed with the controversy. My goal is to have clear decisions and prove transparency to all boxing fans.”
Murata appeared to dominate the fight, flooring N’Dam with a right hook in the fourth round and wobbling him on several other occasions.
N’Dam sank to his knees as the scores were announced and afterwards claimed he had deserved to win.
“I thought I won more rounds than him,” said the Cameroon-born Frenchman. “Even after I was knocked down I stuck to my game plan.”
Murata, hoping to become only Japan’s second middleweight world champion, and first in 22 years, refused to make excuses after a first defeat in 13 professional fights, but insisted: “He didn’t hit me with a single punch that hurt me.”
Akihiko Honda, president of Murata’s Teiken Gym, made no attempt to hide his contempt for the contentious decision that saw N’Dam improve his record to 36-2.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous,” he said. “Our fight went perfectly to plan. It’s the worst judging decision I’ve ever seen. There’s no way that was a defeat.”
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Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), EsekaiaDranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), JaenBotes (Exiles), KristianStinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), EmosiVacanau (Harlequins), NikoVolavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), ThinusSteyn (Exiles)
Key findings of Jenkins report
Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
UAE's role in anti-extremism recognised
General John Allen, President of the Brookings Institution research group, commended the role the UAE has played in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
He told a Globsec debate of the UAE’s "hugely outsized" role in the fight against Isis.
"It’s trite these days to say that any country punches above its weight, but in every possible way the Emirates did, both militarily, and very importantly, the UAE was extraordinarily helpful on getting to the issue of violent extremism," he said.
He also noted the impact that Hedayah, among others in the UAE, has played in addressing violent extremism.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champioons League semi-final, first leg:
Liverpool 5
Salah (35', 45 1'), Mane (56'), Firmino (61', 68')
Roma 2
Dzeko (81'), Perotti (85' pen)
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Scoreline
Switzerland 5
Volunteers offer workers a lifeline
Community volunteers have swung into action delivering food packages and toiletries to the men.
When provisions are distributed, the men line up in long queues for packets of rice, flour, sugar, salt, pulses, milk, biscuits, shaving kits, soap and telecom cards.
Volunteers from St Mary’s Catholic Church said some workers came to the church to pray for their families and ask for assistance.
Boxes packed with essential food items were distributed to workers in the Dubai Investments Park and Ras Al Khaimah camps last week. Workers at the Sonapur camp asked for Dh1,600 towards their gas bill.
“Especially in this year of tolerance we consider ourselves privileged to be able to lend a helping hand to our needy brothers in the Actco camp," Father Lennie Connully, parish priest of St Mary’s.
Workers spoke of their helplessness, seeing children’s marriages cancelled because of lack of money going home. Others told of their misery of being unable to return home when a parent died.
“More than daily food, they are worried about not sending money home for their family,” said Kusum Dutta, a volunteer who works with the Indian consulate.
