Unlucky McDermott seeks rematch

Darren McDermott has demanded a rematch after his British middleweight title fight against champion Wayne Elcock ended in controversial defeat at Wolverhampton Civic Hall last night.

The fight was stopped just 50 seconds into the second round when Dudley-based McDermott, who had made the better start, sustained a gashed left cheekbone.

Referee Howard Foster asked ringside medic Dr Choudhury to look at the cut and the doctor immediately signalled the end for the challenger, sparking cries of "cheat, cheat" from the sell-out 1,700 crowd.

McDermott said the wound, which required eight stitches, was caused by a butt. But television footage proved inconclusive.

McDermott was in no doubt, saying: "The doctor robbed me. He never gave me a chance. He just said he didn't want it to get any worse and open up more if it got another shot on it.

"The other doctor (Dr Gauhar Sharih) looked at it and said 'it could potentially open up and be career-threatening'. He panicked when he saw the blood and there was a bit of swelling on the cheekbone.

"I had one of the best cornermen in the business in Jimmy Tibbs. But they never even allowed him to look at it."

Dr Sharih, a consultant anaesthetist at the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham, said: "It was Dr Choudhury's decision because he's the main guy who deals with cuts, but it did look like a big gash. It was more than an inch wide and very deep, so if the fight had carried on, it could have opened up more. It was a fair decision."

McDermott insisted: "Wayne was scared. I was robbed and want an immediate rematch."

Joint fight promoter Mick Hennessy hinted at a one, saying: "I've got to speak to Wayne's team but I think Wayne would probably like it, because he'd only just got going."

Elcock said: "I just slipped over the right hand and his eye split. But it would only have been a matter of time before he was knocked out.

"It was a nasty cut and it was right to have stopped it, to prolong his career."