By Mark Murray
HOPPERS Crossing boxer John Walker was stopped in controversial fashion in his bout with New Zealand super middleweight champion Daniel McKinnon recently.
Walker, who went into the fight with an impressive win-loss record of 12-2, dominated the first three rounds to be on the brink of stopping McKinnon himself during the 30 June bout.
But the New Zealander managed to land a big right hook to the nose of Walker, which caused profuse bleeding, and another to his eye socket which prompted the referee to stop the fight in the fourth round.
There was an uproar from Walker’s corner, with the team not given the opportunity to let cut man Steve Slater repair the wounds.
The umpire also stated Walker’s nose had been broken, which trainer Dave Hegarty dismissed after the fight.
Walker’s team is appealing to have the fight overruled and to be called a technical draw, which won’t affect either boxer’s record.
“The fight should never, ever have been stopped,” Hegarty, from Tarneit Boxing Gym, said. “(Walker) has recovered as fresh as a daisy and never had a broken nose as the referee stated.
“We have one of the best cut men in Steve Slater and he wasn’t even given a chance to have a look at Johnny.
“We were bitterly disappointed with the outcome, but have gone through the right channels to hopefully get a fair result.
“There was no good making a song and dance about it after the fight, because you look like idiots.
“But we have formally appealed the decision, which is something I never do because I’m not a sook.
“But the matter is the way it ended wasn’t right.”
Walker is likely to know in the next week if he has had the result changed to a technical draw.
His next fight is scheduled for the Melbourne Showgrounds, with further details to be announced.
