SAN ANTONIO -- Jesse James Leija, who lost a controversial five-round decision to Hector Camacho Jr. last weekend, has filed a formal protest hoping to change the result.

The protest filed with the New York State Athletic Commission challenges the state's head-butt rule.

Camacho's right eyelid was cut after the two boxers clashed heads while leaning in during the fifth round Saturday night.

A doctor examined Camacho after the round, initially saying Camacho could continue to fight until the WBA's No.-1-ranked super lightweight claimed he couldn't see.

The head-butt rule is designed to protect fighters who can't continue because of a severe cut from a clash of heads. Leija's camp contends the rule was misapplied because of the original ruling by the doctor that Camacho could continue.

The outcome was determined by scorecards. Camacho (33-0, 18 knockouts) was ahead on all three cards, 49-46 on two of them and 48-47 on the other.

If upheld, the protest filed Thursday could result in the outcome being overturned and Leija declared the winner by technical knockout. Or the fight could be declared a "no contest", removing the loss from the record of Leija (42-6-2, 17 knockouts).

"That's a big thing on my part, giving me a loss when they know I won the fight," Leija told the San Antonio Express-News.

Leija, who turned 35 on Saturday, said he may decline any offers for a rematch and simply retire. He conceded, however, that he might consider a rematch with Camacho if the protest is upheld.

"They need me. I don't need them. He is going to have 'no mas' attached to his name until he fights me again," Leija said. "Even if I stay in boxing, why would I want to fight him again? I already beat him once."

Dan Goossen, Camacho's promoter, said he will push for a Leija-Camacho rematch, possibly in late fall. He insisted, however, that Camacho's victory wasn't tainted.

"Obviously, we can all sit there and have opinions about what happened," Goossen said. "But the only way to overcome it, the only right thing to do, is to have a rematch."