Murad exposes judge’s dark past

New Jersey promoter Murad Muhammad yesterday disclosed that Guy Jutras was chastised for hanky-panky as a referee in a 1982 title fight by the New Jersey State Athletic Commission and said the Montreal septuagenarian should’ve have barred from judging the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez bout in Las Vegas last weekend.

Jutras, 71, scored it 115-110 for Marquez and awarded only one round in the last 11 to Pacquiao.

It wasn’t the only discrepancy in Jutras’ history as a boxing judge. In 1985, he scored a draw when it was obvious Wilfredo Gomez outfought Rocky Lockridge in a World Boxing Association (WBA) junior lightweight championship match. The two other judges saw it for Gomez who won on a majority decision. Three years ago, Jutras had it 115-112 for Manuel Siaca who clearly lost to Byron Mitchell in a WBA supermiddleweight title bout. The two other judges Ove Oveson and Tom Kaczmarek saw it identical 114-112 for Mitchell.

But Muhammad’s revelation was the biggest black mark of all.

In 1982, Jutras was the referee in a WBA featherweight title fight between defending champion Eusebio Pedroza and Juan LaPorte at the Sands Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.

Pedroza, making his 14th title defense, used every dirty trick not in the book to frustrate LaPorte. The Ring Magazine said "Pedroza fought a dirty, low-blow, head-and-elbows fight which wore down LaPorte."

Jutras took a point from Pedroza for a low blow in the eighth round and another for using his elbows in the 14th. Ringside reporters counted at least 25 fouls committed by Pedroza. LaPorte’s manager Howie Albert counted 35 low blows and after reviewing the tape, saw 15 more. Jutras should’ve disqualified the Panamanian but didn’t. In the end, Pedroza won by a unanimous decision on scores of 144-141, 144-142 and 145-143.

LaPorte, who nearly decked Pedroza with a vicious right in the third round, was brutalized by the foul tactics and had little steam left down the stretch.

During the fight, a TV monitor picked up the voice of Pedroza’s cornerman who said at least four times in Spanish, the fighter could use dirty tactics because Jutras was in their pocket. A tape of the startling disclosure was submitted to New Jersey State Athletic Commission head Jersey Joe Walcott for investigation. Albert filed a protest calling for Pedroza’s disqualification and a reversal of the outcome.

Walcott upheld Albert’s protest, citing Jutras’ indiscretion, and reversed the decision. The Venezuela-based WBA, however, refused to recognize LaPorte as the winner despite the commission’s reversal.

Muhammad, who arrived in Manila with Pacquiao last Thursday, said he protested Jutras’ inclusion in the jury a week before the Pacquiao-Marquez but was told by the Nevada State Athletic Commission it was too late. He admitted not pursuing the exclusion because he thought Pacquiao would knock out Marquez anyway. Muhammad said with 20-20 hindsight, he should’ve pursued it but never imagined Pacquiao would hurt his left hand and blistered his left big toe to allow Marquez to survive.

Veteran referee Silvestre Abainza said he knows Jutras, the WBA chairman of the officials committee, personally.

"May edad na at naka-salamin pa," noted Abainza, a boxing official since 1985. "Nakakasama ko sa WBA convention at kabiruan ko. Sa tingin ko, wala siyang bilib sa Pinoy. Hindi niya kinikilala ang galing ni Manny."

Abainza, a referee and judge in 41 world title fights, said it was "muy claro" that Pacquiao beat Marquez by three or four points. He said judge Burt Clements, who scored it a draw, was probably rattled by the turn of events. Clements, admitting he didn’t know the rules, scored 10-7, instead of 10-6, for Pacquiao in the first round where Marquez was floored thrice.

"Hindi sanay si Clements," said Abainza referring to the Reno judge who took out his license only four years ago. "Ang problema sa kanila, kilala lang nila yung mga boksingerong Latino o Amerikano. Ganoon sila. Akala nila mga talunan lang ang mga Pinoy."

Abainza, 51, encouraged Muhammad to press for a reversal of the decision.

"Dapat ireklamo natin," he said. "Questionable ang draw. Ipaglaban natin at huwag natin tigilan hangga’t i-reverse ang decision. No doubt si Manny ang nanalo. May sabit sina Jutras at Clements. Bagsakan ang dapat pagusapan, yung paramdaman ng suntok. Si Marquez, bumagsak ng tatlong beses. Galit na galit ako sa decision. Napaiyak nga ako."

Abainza said if 10 independent-minded judges were to closet themselves in a room to score the fight from a giant TV monitor, Pacquiao would emerge the clear winner.

"Nakuha ni Manny mga four rounds after the first round," said Abainza. "Siya ang clear winner. I-replay man nila yung laban sa tape ng sampung beses, hindi magbabago ang nangyari. Si Manny dapat ang nanalo."