BY JOHN EVANS
April 21, 2024
Source: Boxing Scene
Photo Source: Boxing Scene
Ryan Garcia’s stunning victory over Devin Haney will grab the headlines this morning but Sean McComb’s manager, Lee Eaton, is determined not to let the outcome of the main event overshadow what took place in the chief support bout.
McComb appeared to comfortably outbox the highly rated Arnold Barboza in their WBO Inter-Continental super lightweight title fight but ended up losing a controversial split decision. The Irish southpaw controlled the tempo and distance of the fight from the start, he threw and landed more punches and made the 32-year-old American look ordinary throughout the 10-round contest.
Benoit Roussel scored the fight 98-92 in favour of McComb but he was overruled by Tom Schrek – 96-94 – and Don Trella, 97-93 – who both had Barboza winning, denying McComb a potentially life-changing win.
“It’s an absolute joke. The kid won the fight by eight rounds to two, at the absolute worst seven rounds to three. He pissed it,” Eaton told BoxingScene this morning. “There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that he won the fight and I’ve not seen one single person on social media disagree. American fans, commentators, Shakur Stevenson, you name them; they all say Sean got robbed. It’s a diabolical joke.”
McComb, 18-2 (5 KOs), spent his week in New York as a bit part player in the whole Haney-Garcia soap opera. Barboza, 30-0 (11 KOs), was reportedly on standby to step in and take on Haney had the erratic and weight-troubled Garcia been withdrawn from the fight at the last minute and that received more attention than his fight with McComb, who remained solely focused on the job at hand and produced the performance of his career.
Eaton is determined to do everything in his power to ensure the 31-year-old receives some kind of justice.
“I’m going to be petitioning the New York State Athletic Commission. I’m going to be sending a legal letter to the WBO regarding a rematch and I’m going to be speaking to Golden Boy Promotions because at the moment I feel like we’ve had our pants pulled down and been slapped,” he said.
“It’s ruining a kid’s career. Arnold Barboza should not be celebrating. He got his arse handed to him.”
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