Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor
Off-duty official insists he never touched anything
WBN Editor
Off-duty official insists he never touched anything
The man who as at the centre of a storm between Amir Khan
and the IBF - Mustafa Ameen, has admitted that he was helping to correct the
scorecards last month as Khan lost his WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles to
Lamont Peterson, even though he was not appointed by any organisation.
Ameen was due to attend a hearing today to explain his
actions but when it was made known that he would not attend the IBF
appointment, Khan subsequently withdraw his complaint in fear of an unfair
hearing.
The ‘Mystery Man’ or ‘Man in the hat’ as he became known with nobody knowing is identity in the immediate hours after Khan’s Twitter complaint,
is now attempting to clear himself of any wrongdoing without any proceedings
being brought by Team Khan.
"I noticed one
error and a subsequent error. I assisted him in correcting it without touching
anything," he told BBC Sport.
"I happened to look down, I believe at the end of the
third round, I looked down and I saw Mr Welsh's score. I saw, I believe, it could have been nine, nine and
nine - which is 27 all day long. There was an error. It might have been 26 or
28 but he was off by a point or two.
"I happened to look down and I said 'Michael, nine
times three is 27'. He said 'oh my God' and corrected himself.
"And he said 'I'm not feeling well this evening, thank
you very much'."
The appearance of Ameen at the fight may now go unpunished
as Khan attempts to seal a rematch with Peterson on the back of the WBA
ordering that the fighters should meet in the next few months - but there is also now
creeping doubt about the IBF title being on the line for the return.
Khan, 25, would have to be content with a WBA title challenge
if Peterson deems that sufficient, although the 50/50 offer put to the table by
the Briton should lead to both titles being up for grabs when the pair clash for a
second time.