(SEPT 30) WBAN has received a response
by Erin Toughill about her fighting
17 days after, being suspended on August 31, 2006.
Toughill told WBAN, the following:
First, the results of that fight was appealed because of a safety
issue: THE ROPES. The referee was not worried about the punch itself
(as he claimed) but the fall that happened when I hit the ropes and
FELL through. The bouncing off obviously did not happen, and I not
only went through the ropes, but fell on the judging table and hit
my head all while falling on a computer. The ref STOPPED the fight,
because he thought I could have broken my back or my neck, and due
to the adrenaline...would possibly not have felt it. The other day,
we lost the appeal. Although the NSAC stated it was a "definite
safety issue", I was still given a loss because they felt the
referee was doing his job to "protect me". He was more scared of the
fall itself.
We are in the process of getting a letter of clearance from one of
the doctors that was at ringside AND who checked me out after the
fall on August 31st. He said that:
#1) I was obviously not KO'd, because within seconds, I stood
up and went to get back in the ring. He stated my eyes were clear
and the ropes were a definite "safety issue". Two other "credible"
witnesses/officials also stated the same thing. After the fight was
called - Ramsey won via TKO - NOT KO.
#2) Our team made NSAC (as well as doctors and other officials) very
well aware of the fact that we would be fighting two weeks later. We
asked if it would be a problem because we were appealing the
decision. They made it very clear that regardless of the outcome,
that I should be "OK" to fight on the Sept 15th show because it's on
Indian land and the CSAC has very limited authority over such
venues.
#3) The single most important issue is that the CSAC had the bout
sheet for the Sept 15th MMA fight in Sacramento FOUR WEEKS before
the bouts took place. So that meant they saw that I would be
fighting on this card on August 15th. The FINAL approval for the MMA
card was done Sept 1st - two weeks prior to the 15th show. So who
ever was in charge for the CSAC...APPROVED me to fight! I love how
it's "me and my team" or the "promoters" who should be held
responsible.
RingTalk.com and Pedro should have gotten their facts straight
before they decided to do some whistle blowing. Why NOW the fighters
and promoters are being penalized, I have no idea.
Just because the commission was not involved on that show hardly
meant proper rules were not being enforced. All fighters had
medicals, insurance, etc. And before they fought on Sept 15th, had
to be cleared AGAIN by another doctor. This show followed all of the
same regulations as though it was controlled by the CSAC, so
comments like: "Maybe (the CSAC) should be involved", really have no
place because you clearly do not know what you're talking about.
I box for fun and to stay busy. I won some and lost some. I am a MMA
fighter by heart and by nature and I love how all these "boxing
fanatics" try to compare apples and oranges. Most top UFC fighters
could never be top seated boxers. And wow, imagine this - there are
no top boxers who could ever make a successful transition to MMA
either. How do I know? because they've tried. The sports are totally
different. That is why people ENJOY and LOVE MMA, and MMA can fill
stadiums that boxing could never and has never done - because it is
NOT boxing. But leave it to the pro's to not be able to tell the
difference. Erin Toughill
