Varun Phaytal’s camp has formally announced it will challenge the split‑decision result that saw Junior Binnu Singh crowned PBCNZ Super Bantamweight champion after a hotly contested bout at the Vodafone Arena in Suva last Saturday. Vyas Dei Sharma, a principal sponsor of the event through his Khelvin Realtors business, confirmed on Monday that he and Phaytal’s team intend to lodge a complaint with the relevant boxing authorities over what they say was an unfair outcome.
The headline fight, promoted by ZEG Boxing Promotion, went the scheduled 10 rounds of three minutes each and ended in a split decision that left the vacant title in Singh’s hands but provoked immediate dispute. Phaytal, speaking through an interpreter after the contest, said he believed the judges had misread the fight and pointed to his unmarked face as evidence he had not been out‑boxed. “He was not landing any punchers, just look at my face — no bruises, only scratching and pushing. I was fighting and he was dancing around. This decision is not fair,” Phaytal said.
Sharma, who backed four Indian boxers on the card, said the team would seek formal review so Phaytal’s perspective is officially recorded. “We cannot do anything about the decision now, but his opinion needs to be considered,” Sharma said. “We will take this up with the relevant bodies so his opinion can be heard.” He did not name the specific organisation or outline the timeline for any protest, but his statement signals an escalation from post‑fight complaints to an official challenge.
Singh has defended the result, arguing he landed the cleaner, more effective punches and successfully used defence to blunt Phaytal’s offence in key moments. “First of all, it was the ref’s and judges’ decision, and his punchers were not landing on me but on my guard, and I was parrying most of his punchers so that doesn’t count,” Singh said. He added that only fully landed punches register in scoring and insisted the judges got it right. Singh also signalled he is willing to resolve the matter in the ring, declaring he would take a rematch “anywhere, anytime.”
Accounts of the fight describe a contest that shifted momentum — Singh reportedly controlled the early rounds with sharp counters and movement, while Phaytal increased the pressure in the second half, outworking Singh through the final rounds and prompting much of the dispute over who deserved the nod. The split decision implies at least one judge scored in Phaytal’s favour, though the exact scorecards have not been released publicly.
What happens next will depend on the formal complaint process and the boxing authorities’ willingness to review the scorecards, officiating and any other relevant material such as fight footage. If an appeal is accepted, possible outcomes range from upholding the result to ordering a rematch; Phaytal’s backers have made clear they want his grievances considered rather than left unchallenged.
For now, Singh leaves Suva with the PBCNZ Super Bantamweight belt and an open invitation to settle the debate in a return fight, while Phaytal’s team prepares to press the matter with the sport’s governing bodies — the latest development in a fight that will be remembered as much for its contentious finish as its in‑ring action.
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