Home-town decisions are not surprising in a fight of this nature with the crowd cheering optimistically each time Hlatshwayo landed a punch and remaining stoically silent when Rodriguez delivered a greater succession of combination blows.

There was probably only a snowball’s hope that Snowball would have given the verdict to the US fighter, but how Fischer ultimately ruled 114-114 was something akin to the eighth wonder of the world.

Unhappily, when news of the verdict and how it was achieved spreads round the boxing world, no self-respecting fighter of repute will probably venture to South Africa to risk his reputation on a dicey decision.

Rodriguez appeared to win seven of the 12 rounds against Hlatshwayo’s two, with the remaining three even – and, what is more, the knockdown suggested that the visiting fighter won the ninth round by two points as well.

With Hlatshwayo looking one-dimensional and landing one punch to the two or three quick-fire blows of Rodriguez, the sounds of silence from the 2 000 crowd was ample evidence which boxer was on top.

But after the tournament labelled by Golden Gloves Promotions as “The Eliminator”, what could well be eliminated is genuine major bouts taking place in South Africa.