James Toney won an extremely controversial 3rd round TKO over Hasim Rahman. An accidental headbutt caused a huge cut over the left eye of Rahman. The ring doctor asked Rahman about it and Rahman stated he could not see out of his eye. The ring doctor stopped the fight. Then the decision came out as a TKO for Toney. The unified rules clearly state if a fight is stopped due to an accidental headbutt before the end of 4 completed rounds the fight is declared a no decision. Rahman never said he quit. The ring doctor may have concluded based on Rahman saying he could not see as Rahman saying he could not continue. So that could be considered Rahman retiring on his stool. However it was clearly an accidental headbutt and the fight should have been a no decision. James Toney was starting to pick up the pace at the time of the stoppage. Toney was disappointed because he wanted to win in beautiful fashion. Of course he will take the win how it comes. Rahman of course is pissed off because he feels he got cheated. I can't disagree. Rahman feels because the fight was in California and promoted by Goossen Tutors,which is Toney's promoter, that he was cheated. Rahman's camp has stated on site that they are going to file a protest with the California State Athletic Commission and the NABO. The ring doctor got interviewed and said he stated that what Rahman said, which is he could not see. Then the CSAC made the decision to count the fight as a TKO. The fight in the ring is over, but the real fight has just begun.
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