Japanese boxer Keita Kurihara publicly rejected his victory over Filipino journeyman Renan Portes after their match on Monday at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
The fight, which ended with a split decision, saw two judges scoring it 78-74 for Kurihara, while the third judge scored it 78-74 for Portes. Despite being declared the winner, Kurihara addressed the audience and declared, “I didn’t win this fight.”
A viral video on Facebook captures Kurihara visiting Portes in his locker room, where he expressed regret and apologized. “I was declared the winner, but I believe I lost. It’s shameful that I was declared the winner. I apologize,” Kurihara said through a translator.
The loss was a tough blow for Portes, whose record now stands at 13 wins and 17 losses. Kurihara, meanwhile, improved his record to 19-8-1 with 16 knockouts. This follows his previous victory over another Filipino, Froilan Saludar, in January, where he knocked out Saludar in the eighth round in Cebu.
Portes, who had promised his daughter a win, was visibly devastated. “I promised my child that I won’t return home a loser,” Portes said in a video posted by Edmond Lapitan Dellosa on Facebook. Despite feeling groggy in the sixth round, he continued to fight, driven by his promise.
A translator conveyed Kurihara’s message to Portes, stating, “He believes you won and that’s what you should tell your child. He’s going to fight to let the record reflect that you won,” as Kurihara, filled with remorse, knelt beside Portes, repeatedly apologizing.