Anthony Johnson’s agent to appeal loss
July 22, 2008 by Sam Caplan
Ken Pavia, the agent for UFC welterweight Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, recently revealed that he will be filing a formal appeal as a result of Johnson’s TKO loss on Saturday during UFC Fight Night 14.
During the bout, Johnson had been on the receiving end of several eye pokes from his opponent, Kevin Burns. In spite of multiple warnings, Johnson still received a severe poke during the third and final round of the fight. After taking the finger to the eye, Johnson retreated to the canvas and covered up. Referee Steve Mazzagatti then called a stop to the fight and later ruled Burns the winner via TKO.
I would be remiss if I didn’t file a complaint and seek recourse for the outcome of the Anthony Johnson fight results this weekend,” Pavia stated during a forum post in the Underground forum at MixedMartialArts.com.
“Anthony Johnson has accepted what has happened and has shown nothing but class through the process,” Pavia added towards the end of his post. “This was most evident in the first round when he inadvertently kick Kevin Burns in the groin and backed off and apologized. He didn’t not call Kevin Burns out for the six or so eye gouges with and open hand or for pouncing after putting three of his finger print on the back of his eye socket. Rumble told me he thought his eye popped out.”
Whether Pavia will have any success in trying to get the decision overturned remains to be seen, as fight outcomes are rarely changed after the fact. Complicating matters is the fact that the Nevada State Athletic Commission may not even allow a decision to be overturned. Pavia expressed that he still believes the commission may take action.
“While there may not be a code section that affords the opportunity to overturn a decision as (NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer) informed me, he has always considered all input and done his best to effectuate justice,” said Pavia.
Good. Hope he wins.
Good job Pavia!
Johnson was a class act during the post fight interview. Very impressive! The appeal is the right thing to do. I hope that Burns heals ups his hand so he can return to the cage asap. That was a great fight!
yeah good conduct by Johnson after the fight, impressive to see these days.
rematch should be on the cards
I concur with the above.
Glad to hear it. That fight should be a NC or a DQ for Burns. You shouldn’t be able to win a fight with an illegal move. Make it right NSAC.
I disagree. Burns used an illegal move and dropped Johnson. That’s a win in my book!
–seriously, who would actually think this way? Who can POSSIBLY justify a Burns win? Anybody? I’m not being rhetorical. Can anybody give a good reason (not a bureaucratic one) why this shouldn’t be overturned and put in the books as a NC or a DQ?–
i totally agree that johnson so not suffer the loss, but i love how the agent says johnson “didn’t not call Kevin Burns out for the six or so eye gouges with and open hand…” besides the obvious grammatical errors which make this almost unreadable, it sounds like he is calling Burns out.
i’m sure johnson was livid, but he seems like a class act with the way he handled it. it will likely benefit him more to have handled it the way he did than to have gone off after the decision was given.
by the way, what was the diagnosis on johnson eye’s? i haven’t seen that covered anywhere.
first line should read “johnson should not suffer loss…”
Was waiting to hear this. It was odd to see burns accept the decision after the fight and not protest it in the ring, but give the guy credit for being classy. Can’t wait to see him fight again!
I wish Johnson in the post fight comments had a little more tact and at least hinted that he thought different of the fight, but much respect to him for staying humble during adverse times, I think I would have said it was a good fight but myabe a no contest would be fair, then again hindsight is 20-20.
i’m really happy to see this.. i was so mad when it was ruled a TKO.. because up until that point, he was simply dominating the fight, and there was only a little left to go for a Unanimous Decision..
he needs to work on his cardio for the rematch though..
I agree; I hope it is overturned.
To matt: The diagnosis on Johnson’s eye was mentioned on fightlinker.com and another website that I can’t remember. Hope that helps.
isnt there some rule about a stoppage going to a judges decision? or do they have to have fought 3 full rounds first? meaning it would only happen in a title fight?
i could be talking shit
Where the hell is Ken Pavia from? Is English a second language for him? Third?
That was kind of BS that Johnson lost, but it doesn’t change the fact that Ken Pavia is a douchebag.
Ha! Good luck getting the Nevada State Athletic Commission to overturn the decision.
It’s not a matter of what’s right or wrong, it’s a matter of what their books say. No code on overturning, then there is no overturn.