Issac Hardman needed a sixth round to beat Joel Camilleri at Wednesday night’s International Brawling Competition, but the extra time did little to settle the argument over who deserved to win.
Their fight was declared a draw after five rounds, sending the pair back out for another to decide it. Hardman got the nod and kept his IBC crown, while plenty of fans felt Camilleri had done enough.
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It had been a big-fight entrance for “Headsplitter”, with Aussie singer Shannon Noll performing ‘Lift’ live as he made his way to the Brawl Pen.
Once the fists started flying, Camilleri’s movement made life difficult for the champ – and by the end of five rounds, they still couldn’t be separated.
Camilleri, a world-ranked pro boxer, was gracious immediately afterwards, though he made clear he saw the fight differently.
“I don’t care about the result right now,” he said. “I thought it was at least a draw or I may have edged it.
“Issac, you’re the champ of the IBC, I’m going back to boxing … but damn, I’ll be back.”
Backstage, Camilleri said he had achieved what he came to do: put on a show and prove he could handle himself in the IBC format.
“I think I earned everyone’s respect and showed myself how tough I am,” he told Next Vision Entertainment.
“Forget the result. I may have thought I won, whatever. But, at the end of the day, respect to Hardman. We settled it.
“But you know what, I think there’s one more fight to settle it again. I’d love a rematch.”
Asked about the difference between IBC scoring and boxing, Camilleri was careful not to sound bitter.
“I don’t want to be seen as a sore loser, I’m not about that at all, bro,” he said.
“I called the diamond. I won the diamond – he stepped out. I thought I won at least three rounds. I thought I won the fight, but at the end of the day … we can do it again any day of the week.”
Hardman had his own explanation for why the verdict went his way.
Speaking in the changerooms with the belt wrapped around his waist, he praised Camilleri’s movement, even if he had little fun trying to catch him.
“He’s a great mover. I had to pin him down to punch on with him,” Hardman told Next Vision Entertainment.
“Good on him. I got the win, so that’s all that matters at the end of the day. I can’t knock Joel. He’s a good dude. I rate the bloke … but f***ing boring.”
Hardman said that coming forward and engaging mattered under the IBC rules.
“That’s the f***ing rules,” he said. “Be on the front foot, don’t move around. You lose points moving around. It’s not boxing. Boxing is an art. It’s a chess match. This is carnage. Look at the ruleset.”
The disagreement was already spilling onto IBC’s social media after the fight. IBC founder Dan Mack told Next Vision Entertainment he had missed a round and a half and would watch the full contest before offering his own verdict.
“Our socials are blowing up. I’ve got people from one side saying ‘robbery’ and the other saying ‘fair decision’,” Mack said.
“I’m going to have to rewatch it tomorrow and make a decision for myself.”
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Mack suggested some fight fans accustomed to boxing may have viewed the fight differently under IBC’s format, but stopped short of declaring the decision right or wrong.
For all the debate, there was lots of respect between the fighters. Hardman acknowledged that Camilleri had taken on a challenge he did not need to accept.
“Joel didn’t have to do this,” he said. “He’s a professional boxer, world-ranked … I respect Joel, good man, great man. I’ll share a piccolo with you.”
In the co-main, Corban Mita earned a decision win over Aaron Tau after a bloody contest.
But it was Hardman and Camilleri who left the crowd arguing long after the extra round. If Camilleri gets his wish, they’ll do it all again down the track.