Josh Wale is confident he will be given a rematch against Frenchman Georges Ory who beat him in a controversial European title fight two weeks ago.
The British Boxing Board of Control have taken up the case of the 30-year-old bantamweight from Brampton, contacting both the French Boxing Federation and European Boxing Union to suggest a rematch.
They have also questioned ‘inconsistent’ scoring and demanded answers as to why Wale was subjected to an unplanned blood test the day before the fight.
Josh is also frustrated that a career-threatening cut – the worst he has ever had in his opinion – was not treated by doctors at the show in Vesoul. He told the Chronicle: “We want the rematch and we’re confident it will happen. It’s the right thing to do. We want answers about why the blood was taken from my arm when I had done all the right tests before I went, and why there wasn’t a post-fight medical.
“I would love the rematch to be at the Metrodome in front of a thousand Barnsley people but, realistically, it will be in France again because he has French TV behind him and money talks. I am willing to go over there again but only if we have it in writing exactly what will happen when I am there and the contract includes some guarantees about the way I will be treated.
"It was the week from hell and it really got me down. It’s left a very bitter taste. As a professional, you never expect to be treated like that. It’s hard to put into words what has happened.”
Wale was woken at 8am on the day before the fight, driven for an hour to a laboratory where blood was taken from his arm then he fainted on the way back and had to wait until after the weigh-in that evening to eat or drink. He said: “I hate giving blood and, when I am right on weight, it really makes an impact.”
One of the three judges scored the fight level and the other two gave it to Ory by two rounds. Wale said: “I won at least eight rounds and that is being generous to Ory. It’s probably the best I have ever boxed, definitely as a bantamweight.
“I was completely expecting to get the decision then I was really shocked and upset when they gave it to him. As I walked out of the arena, loads of French fans came up to me and told me they thought I had won.
“If I had been beaten fair and square, or even if it had been a close one which could have gone either way but I lost, I would have held my hands up and said it didn’t happen for me and that it was a massive achievement to get to European title level.
“I am so proud to be the first Barnsley man to get to that level but just gutted about what happened when I got there. It will sound like sour grapes but I don’t care, I know I won that fight and I deserve a chance to put it right.”
