Shimizu trailed 12-5 going into the third and final round of the last-16 bout but proceeded to launch a huge attack on the Azeri, who went down six times, in part due to the punches of his opponent and because he was wasting time.

Abdulhamidov also received a two-point penalty for the time wasting yet came out the eventual victor (pictured top) by 22 points to 17, despite losing the round.

Both Abdulhamidov and the referee Ishanguly Meretnyyazov of Turkmenistan were booed by the crowd at ExCeL following the result, but a subsequent appeal from Japan to AIBA has proved successful, allowing Shimizu to proceed to the quarter-finals.

"The boxer from Azerbaijan fell down six times during the third round," said an AIBA statement.

"According to our rules, the referee should have counted at least three times.

Satoshi Shimizu floors Magomed Abdulhamidov during their bantamweight bout

"In this case, following the AIBA Technical and Competition Rules, the decision should have been RSC (Referee Stop Contest).

"Therefore, the protest lodged by the Japanese corner is accepted and the result of this bout overturned."

The statement added: "AIBA officials will consider on Thursday whether to sanction the referee of this bout."

The result is a huge boost for Shimizu, who admitted his confusion at the result immediately following the fight.

"I was shocked by the final scores," he said.

"He fell down so many times.

A distraught Satoshi Shimizu reacts upon hearing the original judges' verdict

"Why didn't I win?

"I don't understand.

"I did my best and I performed really well.

"England is the place of boxing and the spectators supported me so well so I am very pleased about that.

"This is a very memorable moment but I don't understand why the judgement went against me so I don't know how to improve."

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