KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — Filipino-British boxer John Marvin took just 21 seconds to clinch the Southeast Asian Games light heavyweight title on Thursday, and then said he wanted a quick win as he didn’t trust the judges.
The 24-year-old, a lance corporal in the British Army, unleashed a barrage of punches from the bell to stop Malaysia’s Adli Hafidz Mohamad Pauzi — who later claimed he wasn’t ready.
Marvin said he didn’t want the final to be left in the hands of the judges, after his team-mate Carlo Paalam lost a questionable decision against home favorite Muhamad Fuad Redzuan on Monday.
Fuad went on to win the light flyweight class, clinching Malaysia’s first SEA Games title in the division.
“My mission was to get in there and win. That is my plan. I hit (my opponent) a four-punch combination in the face,” Marvin said, dedicating the win to Paalam and the Philippines.
“It is a revenge for my colleague who lost in an unfair manner,” he added. “I did not want the fight to be decided by the umpires. We train to get in there and destroy.”
Marvin, who comes from Britain’s Isle of Wight and whose mother is Filipino, said he felt “sad” that rising star Paalam, 19, was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Fuad.
“He is my team-mate. It is sad to see him lose,” he said.
Fuad, meanwhile, who beat Thani Narinram of Thailand in the light flyweight final, insisted his victory over Paalam was legitimate.
“I waited for eight years to win gold in the SEA Games. When I fought the Filipino, it was 50-50,” he said.
“Some say I won, others say he won but for me I got the most number of points and the fight was dominated by myself and not him (Paalam),” he said.
The Philippines claimed a second gold medal through middleweight Eumir Felix Marcial, who braved injured knuckles to beat Thailand’s Pathomsak Kuttiya on points.
But Mario Fernandez, who was eyeing a record third straight gold in the bantamweight class, lost unexpectedly to Thailand’s Chatchai Butdee.
Indonesia’s Aldoms Sugoro beat Thai fighter Tanes Ongjunta to win the flyweight title, and Thailand’s Wuttichai Masuk was crowned light welterweight champion with victory over Sarohatua Lumbantobing of Indonesia.