Former national featherweight boxing champion Vincent Howard is crying foul over the manner of his loss to `Hurricane' Hugo Lewis for the vacant junior lightweight boxing crown and wants a rematch.

Howard was defeated by Lewis in nine blistering rounds on last month's Boxing Day card at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Howard failed to come out for the tenth of the scheduled 12-round national title bout.

Yesterday, manager of Lewis, former world rater Andrew Murray scoffed at the allegations and at Howard's sincerity in wanting a rematch.

"Whenever he sees it fit we will fight again. He is asking for trouble. Anyone that wants a rematch doesn't quit," the former Commonwealth and Latin American welterweight boxing champion said.

Howard claims that Murray, who was Lewis' corner man, used smelling salts on Lewis and the substance eventually got into his eyes during the third round.

He said he complained to the doctor but nothing was done.

"My eyes were burning me...," Howard declared, adding that his cornerman told the doctor that smelling salts was an illegal substance and that Lewis should be disqualified but to no avail.

"The doctor should have made a proper check," he declared.

Howard said he did not want to go into the details why he refused to come out for the 10th round, saying everything will be revealed later.

But Howard's cornerman experienced trainer Maurice `Bizzy' Boyce explained that Howard slightly injured his right shoulder due to the rough and bruising nature of the fight.

That, Boyce said, coupled with the fact that Howard could not see properly because of the infected eye, resulted in the decision to stop the fight and save the boxer from serious injury.

Howard is clamouring for a rematch which he wants to happen as soon as possible. Boyce is supporting the rematch call but said he recognizes that the ball is in Murray's court.

"I want a rematch quite soon before Hugo fights any other fight. I feel I deserve a rematch if Hugo is man enough," Howard told Stabroek Sport.

Murray, reacting to Howard's claims, said if smelling salts was used, "Vincent's eyes would have been burning him like crazy."

He also wanted to know why only one person was affected.

"The doctor did not find anything. If smelling salts was used Hugo would also have been affected," Murray said.

Dr. Arturo Laxa of the Phillipines, one of three ringside doctors at the card, officiated in the Lewis/Howard fight.

Dr. Laxa said following the referee's instructions he checked the Lewis' gloves and even smelled them but found nothing out of the ordinary which was conveyed to the referee.

Dr. Laxa said he asked the boxer if he could continue and he said yes and "he continued fighting without any problems."

Referee Eion Jardine also said he found no evidence of use of an illegal substance.

Jardine said he checked Howard's eyes which were though red did not appear to be caused by an infection but rather from the fighting.

However, the experienced Jardine says Lewis was cut and there was a possibility that what was used on the cut might have gotten into Howard's eyes.

Presidential Advisor on Empowerment and former boxing promoter Odinga Lumumba in an invited comment said that a rematch between the two fighters would be a good contest.

Lumumba, before he entered the political arena was an astute promoter who took Murray and Anthony `The Pearl' Andrews to world title fights.