HEARTBREAKER: Suarez falls to Navarrete via controversial decision

Unless the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) overturns the decision into a technical knockout, Filipino fighter Charly Suarez will return to the country next week with a long, sad face.

Suarez was dealt a major heartbreak Sunday when his bold attempt to beat World Boxing Organization (WBO) super-featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete of Mexico ended on an eighth-round technical decision in their San Diego showdown.

A crucial call made by referee Ed Collantes on the hideous gash suffered by Navarrete in the sixth round proved costly as the right ruling — a legitimate punch and not an accidental headbutt — would have awarded Suarez the WBO 130-pound jewels.

But since Collantes ruled it a clash of heads and not from the 36-year-old Suarez’s sneaky left hand, the outcome was decided by the scorecards of the three judges at ringside.

At the time of the stoppage, Pat Russell scored it 78-75 while Fernando Villareal saw it 77-76 and Lou Moret also had it 77-76, all for Navarrete.

Collantes could have mistaken the blood that flowed from Navarrete’s head from an apparent head butt right after Suarez landed the telling blow and even asked ringside physician Robert Ruelaz to examine it.

Television replays from multiple angles clearly showed, however, that Suarez’s left punch that landed solidly and caused the sudden rush of blood in the sixth round.

From then onwards, Navarrete was bothered by the gash as he continued to wipe the blood using his gloves while Suarez went in attack-mode.

Navarrete’s corner worked on the cut in-between rounds but it began to bleed again in the seventh stanza as the two fighters traded blows.

As soon as the bell sounded for the eighth round, Ruelaz went up to see the cut and right there and then determined the 30-year-old Navarrete was no longer fit to continue.

Since the wound was due to accidental headbutt, the scores of the judges would be tallied to determine the winner. If the headbutt had taken place inside four rounds, it would have been an automatic technical draw.

A late report from San Diego said the California State Athletic Commission was inclined to change the decision and turn it into a No Contest upon reviewing the controversial exchange of punches on television.

But as of this writing, the official result remained a technical decision win by Navarrete, who ran his record to 40-2-1 with 32 knockouts.

The loss — his first in the professional ranks — dropped Suarez’s mark to 18-1 with 10 knockouts.

Ilocos politician and businessman Luis “Chavit” Singson, who manages Suarez, was aghast at the result of the bout.

“Clear punch. Maliwanag pa sa sikat ng araw dito sa Pilipinas. Charly was robbed of a victory and boxing fans, even non-Filipinos, know that. We will file an appeal. Charly deserves the win and the world title,” said Singson in a statement.

Suarez, who had a decorated amateur career, could not hide his disappointment but had no choice but to accept the outcome.

“I am sad but that’s part of the game but I know that Navarrete did his best effort to win the fight. I want (a) rematch with him. He’s also a good fighter. As of now, I am proud of myself. (But) It’s not my control.”

Delfin Boholst, who trains Suarez, said he was assured by Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti that a rematch is inevitable.