The Scorecard Treatment: Oleydong Sithsamerchai vs Pornsawan Porpramook II

Corey Erdman gives the scorecard treatment to this past Friday night's minimumweight battle between Oleydong Sithsamerchai and Pornsawan Porpramook.

Any time you read a headline stating that a champion from Thailand fought to a draw in his home country, face it, you're suspicious.

On Saturday, WBC minimumweight champion Oleydong Sithsamerchai drew challenger Pornsawan Porpramook, in a rematch of their 2008 bout also staged in Thailand. Wire reports suggested that Oleydong won by the "slightest of margins" and that the two fought "toe-to-toe."

But rather than relying on stereotypes and prejudice surrounding foreign boxing judges, all the while ignoring a whole world of boxing outside of premium cable companies, let's break down Oleydong-Pornsawan II to see just how close, and how fair it was.

Round 1

Oleydong is a little more tentative than usual, but is still looking to counter as usual. He manages to avoid most of Pornsawan's attacks and is finding great success with a straight left early on. Pornsawan is coming forward constantly, but it can't exactly be considered "effective" aggressiveness, nor is he controlling the action, as he's the one eating the significant blows early on. Nonetheless, it already looks like a tough pace for Oleydong to handle, especially after dropping four pounds in one day to make the 105-pound limit.

10-9 Oleydong

Round 2

Fantastic footwork from Oleydong, spinning Pornsawan consistently as he continues to approach with his feet nearly parallel. The champion is only on the ropes once during the round, the rest of the time, turning and ripping combinations. While he used his left hand almost exclusively in the first stanza, Oleydong introduced a right hook to his arsenal and swiped it around his opponent's guard on several occasions. Very strong round for the champ.

10-9 Oleydong

Round 3

More of the same as Oleydong moves just enough to evade Pornsawan and keeps the action in the center of the ring. For a weight-drained fighter, the champion is throwing a lot of punches, and is no longer waiting on his opponent and countering, he is firing away. A real blowout round for Oleydong.

10-9 Oleydong

Round 4

It must be fatigue, because while Pornsawan isn't attempting anything that he hadn't during the first three rounds, he is suddenly effective in his efforts to get to Oleydong. The one adjustment Pornsawan has made is that he is moving to his left slightly, which is neutralizing the champion's once-potent left hand, but that could be attributed to the fact that his opponent's motion has ceased. Regardless, his attack might be sloppy, but Pornsawan is landing to the body frequently and pushing Oleydong back.

10-9 Pornsawan

Round 5

As an aside, things don't change in boxing regardless of the continent you're in. Just as ESPN's Friday Night Fights are often presented by Just For Men, fans in Thailand are bombarded with commercials for "Mano Dark Hair" in between rounds.

Speaking of bombardment, Pornsawan keeps the pressure on Oleydong, and although he is getting hit with the straight left again, is connecting to the body frequently. Clearly, the challenger's corner is privy to the fact that Oleydong is drained and is susceptible to shots to the liver and abdomen. The champion doesn't look quite as overwhelmed as he did in the fourth round, but his pot shotting wasn't enough to nab the round in the fifth.

10-9 Pornsawan

Round 6

Oleydong takes a vicious beating in round six, and gets drilled by a straight right hand while bending over, feeling the effects of relentless shots to the midsection. The crowd is going absolutely insane, and Pornsawan's corner foolishly jumps onto the apron to congratulate their fighter on the knockdown, but is not penalized.

Things get even more interesting. Oleydong appears out of it after making the count of 10, and is limping and staggering around the ring. As the round is nearing its close, he is strapped in a corner and met with another barrage to his body. He crumples to the canvas and the referee makes a waving motion with his arms.

Given that he had knocked down a helpless fighter for a second time and a referee was waving, Pornsawan and his corner (and the fans) fairly assumed that they had won by knockout.

Instead, referee Yuji Fukuchi turned around and informed the elated bunch that he was ruling the fall a slip. No protest ensued whatsoever. The corner calmly left the ring, and Pornsawan smothered Oleydong for the final 15 seconds once again.

10-8 Pornsawan

Round 7

Oleydong is looking like a 105-pound Yuri Foreman, limping around the ring and getting clobbered by the challenger. He is bent over in exhaustion and pain, and gets cracked by several uppercuts as a result. With no leverage, the best he can offer is wild arm punches that are absolutely ineffective.

10-9 Pornsawan

Round 8

Pornsawan's corner can be seen through the ropes gesturing for their fighter to move his head more. He does slightly, but only to his right, directly in line with the left hand Oleydong has been throwing all night. On one leg, the champion manages to land more punches, and the most effective ones this round.

10-9 Oleydong

Round 9

It appeared as though Oleydong may have regained a bit of mobility in the eighth round, but he comes out hobbled and flat footed in the ninth. He is unable to get out of the way of Pornsawan, who is essentially jogging care-free toward his opponent as he waits helplessly on the ropes.

10-9 Pornsawan

Round 10

Almost a replay of the eighth round, as Pornsawan walks into an array of left hands, and is not moving at a suitable pace. A wounded fighter is able to spin off the ropes and contain the challenger's pressure relatively well. As long as Pornsawan refuses to jab, Oleydong has an escape and can continue to move naturally to his right, albeit slowly, and avoid getting trapped along the ropes.

10-9 Oleydong

Round 11

The fight has escalated into a full-out brawl, with Oleydong emptying his tank and throwing in combinations for the first time in seven rounds. Pornsawan can't get close enough to the champion to dig to the body, and while he is landing some shots upstairs, his looping delivery is easy for a quick counterpuncher like Oleydong to counter down the middle consistently.

10-9 Oleydong

Round 12

After a full fight of holding behind the head, Pornsawan is warned for the very first time. Similarly, it is mentioned for the first time here, because somehow it was allowed up until this point.

Pornsawan must also believe that he has the fight won, as he doesn't bother to approach Oleydong as well. More telling is the fact that he gestures to the crowd in celebration, and kisses the mat as he does pushups after the bell. Pornsawan flat out gave the round away.

10-9 Oleydong

Official scorecards: 114-114, 114-114, 114-113 Oleydong

Corey's scorecard: 114-113 Oleydong

The controversy in the fight, as it turns out, is solely based on whether the bout should have been over in the sixth round. Oleydong was badly hurt, and did not appear as though he could continue. Combined with the fact that the whole incident was optically confusing and if you're a Pornsawan fan, you have something to be angry about.

Another angle is that if the second fall were scored a knockdown, and the fight continued exactly as it did, then Pornsawan would have been awarded a majority decision.

However, Oleydong was allowed to continue and did so capably. But those same outraged Pornsawan fans (and yes, judging by energy in the the crowd in Thailand, they do exist), should be equally as disappointed that he gave the fight away. His lack of determination at times, and novice skill level allowed for an injured, tired and weight-drained fighter to beat him. And not only was Oleydong one-legged, but he mostly fights one-handed as well, rarely using a jab.

If you take the referee's decision at face value and agree with it, then we had a fair decision. Within the confines of this fight and the decisions that were made, Pornswan still had a chance to prevail, and just didn't.

Corey Erdman is a host and producer at SIRIUS 98, and a freelance boxing writer formerly of The Sporting News' The Rumble. Follow him on Twitter: Corey_Erdman@Twitter