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Casamayor DQ'd, loses Jr. Lightweight title to Nanthachai
Feb. 24, 2013 -- Joel Casamayor stepped in to defend his LSUBF Jr. Lightweight championship against Yodsanan Nanthachai with plenty of knowledge about his opponent.
When Casamayor won the inaugural tournament to win the title for the first time, he won the semifinal matchup against Nanthachai in a tightly contested bout, earning a majority decision victory to advance to the final.
A year after regaining the title he had lost to Edwin Valero, he defended it against Nanthachai as the mandatory #1 contender, stopping him in the 11th round.
A year later, Nanthachai had reassumed #1 contender status, and so Casamayor - not having made another #1 defense in the interim - was forced to face him again.
If you ask Casamayor, he was also facing a second opponent - referee Derek Gilham.
Gilham warned Casamayor for several perceived transgressions throughout this latest bout, at different times cautioning him for holding and hitting, leaning on Nanthachai’s neck, using his shoulders in the clinch, and hitting below the belt.
Despite that, Casamayor built a comfortable lead and appeared to be on his way to a clear decision victory to retain the title.
Then Gilham knocked that plan out for the count.
Gilham disqualified Casamayor for a blatant punch to the back of Nanthachai’s head, the seventh infraction cited against Casamayor during the bout, and the one that gave Nanthachai the belt as the new LSUBF Jr. Lightweight champion.
Casamayor led on all cards, 87-83 *2, 89-82, at the time of the disqualification.
“I’ll take my title back soon, I want my rematch immediately,” an irate Casamayor said after the bout. “Any other ref, I’ll be champion again.”
This is not new territory for Casamayor though. This was Casamayor’s third loss…his second was the title loss to Valero by decision. But the first was early in his career, a disqualification loss against Jorge Barrios.
Nanthachai made no apologies.
“He’s always done this…tonight it cost him…and now I’m champion!
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