ALA boxer loses controversial split decision in South Africa

CEBU, Philippines – ALA Gym stalwart Roli Gasca lost a controversial split decision to hometown fighter and reigning IBO featherweight champion Lusanda Komanisi at the Orient Theater in South Africa yesterday.

In a statement from ALA trainer Edmund Villamor who accompanied the Cebuano fighter in South Africa, Gasca was a victim of a ‘hometown decision’ as Gasca was winning but the judges didn’t see it that way.

“It was a hometown decision. The decision of the judges was even booed by the crowd watching,” said Villamor.

Gasca proved to be the more technical boxer than the South African. His camp is already aware of the many hometown decisions in South Africa in which his trainers thought Gasca's chance of winning is by knockout.

This is Gasca’s third try for the IBO title. He first tasted defeat in the hands of Russian Alexander Bakhtin in Russia two years ago, before his unanimous decision loss against overweight South African Thabo Sonjica last September 8 also in South Africa.

The Barili, Cebu-native suffered his sixth career loss in 28 fights, while Komanisi improved his record to 18-3, spiked with 16 stoppages. (FREEMAN)