Half-Hour Later, Officials Allow Boxer to Keep Title

Greg Haugen of Las Vegas survived a head butt by challenger Miguel Santana of New York and an erroneous initial decision by fight officials to retain his International Boxing Federation lightweight championship Monday night, fight officials said.

Officials first announced that Santana, 23, a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, had won the fight because Haugen suffered a two-inch cut over his right eyebrow when Santana unintentionally butted heads with him in the 11th round. Haugen was unable to answer the bell for the 12th round.

At the time, Haugen, 27, was leading the challenger on two of the three judges’ cards, referee Jimmy Cassidy said.

Most of the Tacoma Dome crowd had gone home when Cassidy announced, a half-hour later, that Haugen (21-1-1) was the real winner of the scheduled 15-rounder.

Cassidy said IBF rules provide that the fighter leading on the official scorecards wins in case of an unintentional foul. Cassidy said he checked the three judges’ scorecards, and two had Haugen ahead, 106-103.

The third judge had Santana in front, 106-103. Santana is 20-4-1.

The Associated Press had Haugen in front, 106-104, when Cassidy and the ring physician, Sam Adams, ordered the fight halted because of the cut over Haugen’s right eyebrow.

Cassidy termed Haugen’s victory a 12th-round technical decision.

Haugen weighs 135; Santana 134.