Bramble says he got raw deal on reservation

Dean Juipe

Tuesday, Nov. 23, 1999 | 10:30 a.m.

Still angry three days after the fight, former WBA lightweight champion Livingstone Bramble said he was ripped off Friday on an Indian reservation near Oneida, N.Y.

Bramble, a Las Vegas resident, lost a split decision to Albany's Frank Houghtaling in an eight-round bout at 147 pounds. Bramble said Monday he had a premonition that he was in trouble when he was required to take a strenuous treadmill test the morning of the fight.

In addition, despite his protests he was required to take eye drops that caused an allergic reaction and left him blurry-eyed for the bout. As if that wasn't enough, the fight was reduced from 10 to eight rounds despite Bramble's complaints, and a friend of his was escorted not only from his dressing room but from the reservation.

"I knew what was going on even before I got into the ring," he said. "I'm not fighting on an Indian reservation ever again. Everything was set up for their hometown boy.

"Part of fighting on the road is having to deal with certain things, but I'm not giving up that easy. I'm filing an official protest (with the New York commission)."

Bramble, 38, dropped to 40-15-3 when two judges scored the fight in Houghtaling's favor, including one who gave Bramble only a single round.

"I'd admit it if I lost, but this was a terrible decision," Bramble said. "Not only did this guy run all night, he had to go to the hospital and have 18 stitches. And I look like I wasn't even touched.

"Physically, you can't even tell I was in a fight."

* AMATEURS: Only one of the six Nevada representatives in the USA Boxing Great West Regional Tournament, held over the weekend in Pasadena, Calif., won his division to advance to the Jan. 10-15 nationals.

Mario Gaxiola is the lone Nevadan to advance to Colorado Springs, as he won at 106 pounds when there were no other competitors.

Suffering losses in division championship bouts were Luis Galvan (112 pounds), Theron DeLorme (125), William Henderson (139), Ishe Smith (147), Anthony Dotson (156) and Andre Khandamian (201).