TNT Sports
‘He was robbed’ – TNT pundits left ‘flabbergasted’ as Ionut Baluta stuns Brad Strand after knockdown controversy
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Published 15/03/2025 at 22:01 GMT
Ionut Baluta claimed the vacant WBO European super bantamweight title at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool on Saturday night, as he scored a controversial win over Brad Strand. Speaking to TNT Sports after the result, former world champion Carl Frampton was incredulous over one piece of refereeing, as well as the scoring from one of the judges on the night.
‘Scoring all over the place’, ‘flabbergasted’ – Shock as Baluta earns win over Strand
Video credit: TNT Sports
A controversial decision in Ionut Baluta’s victory over Brad Strand on Saturday night left TNT Sports commentators Darren Fletcher and Richie Woodhall stunned.
Baluta and Strand were contesting the WBO European super bantamweight belt, and Strand had appeared to be in a commanding position in the fight for the vacant strap.
While the Briton was sporting a cut over the left eye, Baluta’s corner appeared to think their man needed a strong finish - if not a knockout - in the championship rounds to emerge as the victor.
However, in the ninth round, things took a surprising turn at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool - to be headlined by Nick Ball v TJ Doheny, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Commentator Darren Fletcher set the scene, stating: "There’s a lot more urgency in the Baluta corner, they realise he’s got to finish this fight strongly."
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Tripped over his boot lace or a knockdown? Controversy in Baluta v Strand fight
Video credit: TNT Sports
Moments after that sentence, Strand slipped and fell backwards. He looked alarmed as referee Marcus McDonald started to give him a count, meaning he had ruled it as a knockdown.
However, replays appeared to show that Baluta seemed to have stepped on his opponent’s boot, causing Strand to slip, slide backwards and fall over, rather than sending him to the canvas with any punch.
Fletcher continued: "Down goes Strand, and that’s a knockdown! Well, there’s a twist in the plot!
"Strand said he tripped over his bootlace, and Marcus McDonnell had issued a count."
With no fighter able to seal a knockout before the final bell rang out, the judges issued a split-decision card, 98-91, 96-94 for Baluta, and 97-93 for Brand.
After the scoring, co-commentator Richie Woodhall was in a state of disbelief over the decision.
He exclaimed: "It’s totally gotten me Fletch. I’m flabbergasted.
"I really thought Bradley Strand had done very well there. The 10-8 round obviously went to Baluta, very lucky treading on the foot there."
'Literally cannot understand' - Frampton
Former world champion Carl Frampton, sitting on the TNT Sports panel, was just as confused by the scoring.
Not only did Frampton point to the slip, but he disputed both the result against Brand and also a previous fight for Baluta against Andrew Cain - in March 2023.
He said: "I didn't see Baluta winning the fight at all. I did say earlier on that the scorecard may be all over the place here, because Baluta has come forward.
"But the object of the game is to land. He wasn't really landing, I think Brad Strand should feel like he was robbed here.
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Strand was ‘robbed’ in Baluta defeat, says Frampton
Video credit: TNT Sports
"I scored Baluta against Andrew Cain, and I think Baluta has got away with two wins he shouldn't have had. I think Cain beat him, and I think Bradley Strand just beat him as well."
Another former world champion, Anthony Crolla, was sympathetic to the referee for the angle at which he saw the knockdown, but also took major issue with one scorecard in particular.
He stated: "I didn't think it was a knockdown. He stood on the foot, which caused a knockdown. The foot slid away. The angle the referee's seen it, you feel for him a little bit.
"But I thought throughout the fight that Strand boxed a very disciplined fight, he controlled the distance really well.
"I thought Baluta looked a bit older tonight, he was nowhere near as relentless. I think he's been very fortunate there, Bradley Strand can feel very hard done by."
Frampton concluded: "I have no idea, literally cannot understand how someone scores that fight 98-91 in favour of Baluta."
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