Josh Hokit claimed his vision was severely compromised throughout Saturday’s UFC 334 heavyweight title fight, stating he “saw triple the whole fight” following a first-round eye-poke from champion Ciryl Gane. The New Zealand contender fought with grit at Madison Square Garden, ultimately falling short in a unanimous 48-47 decision to suffer his first professional defeat. Despite seizing significant momentum in the third round, Hokit faded late in the bout, unable to overcome the visual impairment that plagued him from the opening bell.
Hokit demands immediate rematch after losing unanimous decision despite compromised vision
The controversy centers on referee Marc Goddard, who appeared to miss the foul as Gane rammed his fingers into Hokit’s left eye early in the first round. Although Hokit complained of being unable to see in the moment, the action continued without a break, denying the challenger a chance to recover or receive medical attention. This incident marks yet another instance of Gane’s proclivity for fouling, raising serious questions about the integrity of the heavyweight division’s top contender.
In the early hours of Sunday, Hokit took to Instagram from the hospital to demand justice, tagging UFC President Dana White, President of Performance and Competition Hunter Campbell, and matchmaker Mick Maynard. He explicitly called for an “immediate rematch please,” arguing that the conditions of the fight were unfair due to the unaddressed foul. With Gane’s history of infractions becoming a growing concern, Hokit’s demand for a redo puts pressure on the UFC to address the officiating failure and ensure a fair contest for the heavyweight title.
Source: Yahoo Sports
