(AUG 3) On Friday night at the Saith Park, in Trinidad and Tobago,  Ria Ramnarine won by a split decision (Technical Decision after a headbutt) against Ana Fernandez.  Ramnarine won the interim WBA Strawweight title.

The fight came to an end after the ninth, and the judges went to the scorecards. There was immediate controversy in regards to this fight in the local news media---from Fernandez deserving the decision to the information WBAN received that the referee did not call the fouls of Fernandez throughout the fight with Ramnarine. [WBAN welcomes a video of the fight]

In one report that we receive, a correspondent told us that the boxing event was full of drama from the start--and that since the fight had taken place, there has been controversy brewing.  WBAN was told that Ramnarine won by a split decision after the referee finally stopped the bout in the ninth round due to intentional head butts, and that the fight itself see-sawed between Ramnarine and Fernandez. 

It was also reported that low blows and head butts came in regularly from Fernandez, and that ironically the referee did not caution the Venezuelan.  In the ninth round, with about 15-20 seconds left in the round, this correspondent reported that Fernandez dove head first into Ramnarine, making the head butt very clear. With a heart of a lion, Ramnarine dug in deep and finished the round. 

Ramnarine also sent in an open letter to WBAN in regards to this fight and she said the following:

"I feel compelled to write this letter. I feel bad about the bout against Ana on Friday night. I do not like to win this way. The people didn't understand what was going on and hence didn't understand the results. At face value, the fight was close and the decision could have gone either way.

The main problem is that the referee didn't do his job. If he had warned Ana for the repeated low blows and headbutts, then people would understand the scores. I can only guess the judges took a very dim view of the repeated unwarned fouls. Also had she been warned early, Ana would have taken stock and the fouls would not have continued. But with no warnings and no points taken, naturally she continued as she had the all clear to do so.

 Sue I was hit with low blows repeatedly from the very first round and that threw me off my game plan.I was forced to do double work protecting myself instead of being offensive. I will take nothing from Ana though, she is a great fighter and I have respect for her. Even before the fight I respected her as I do all my opponents. When she came in overweight at the weigh-in, my Coach dismissed it and said it was not a problem. She would have had to strip to make weight and we really did not want to put her through that."

"In the ninth round, the headbutt was very very clear. The referee acknowledged it, yet he did not warn Ana or take a point, so the crowd again did not know what was happening. I dug deep and finished the round.

By end of it I was seeing double and indicated that to the referee. He said I should fight the 10th and kept insisting I should do so. But by that time my eye was swollen and one shot to it could have done permanent damage.

How could I risk such? I had no idea of the scores at that point, my only concern was my eye. In hindsight I wonder why the referee kept insisting I go into the tenth. I thought the referee's first priority was the fighters safety regardless of anything else, now I am not so sure. No warnings for repeated low blows, head butts and then trying to send me in to fight with blurred vision? I prefer to lose a fight and live to fight another day. "

"If only the referee had done his job, we would not be in this situation today."

"As far as a rematch goes, I hope my management can work something out so that Ana is given a chance, and this whole thing can be cleared up."

"To Ana, I am sorry about all this. You are a great fighter, keep up the fighting spirit you have and you will become a world champion. Respectfully: Ria Ramnarine"