This is a very serious question for you boxing fans.

Its a tough question. The refs probably should have the discretion, but the harm comes when the ref prematurely waives off a fight, where the guys wasn't hurt, or where he may have been hurt or could have continued. I think too many refs want to be seen, and stopping a fight is method to get your named mentioned.

 

Be forced to count to 10. Every boxer knows what they're signing up for. You can lose your life behind those ropes.

 

I like the idea of a mandatory ten count, we've seen guys get up after seemingly being knocked out cold, but were able to recup enough to stay in the fight, shake it off and eventually win, as rare as it is, it does happen. Given the amount of hard work these guys put in, I think a mandatory ten count is the way to go.

 

If a fighter is downed, count him out. If a fighter is standing, but eating consecutive power shots and looking more or less defenseless, then I'm all for the ref stepping in and stopping the fight. I'll give two examples.



Take Bute / Andradae I. Andradae's KD showed that Bute was very much out of it, but the ref counted anyways. Andradae didn't help himself by stepping halfway across the ring after virtually winning the fight, but the ref did his job and counted.


Now Gamboa / Mtagwa...IMHO the ref was completely within his rights by stopping that fight when he did. Gamboa lit Mtagwa up from the get go, and it was only a matter of time before he started seriously taking unnecessary damage (Round 2 anyone?) Now Rogers wasn't down for a count, but the ref just went ahead and stopped it, because he could see the punishment that Mtagwa was taking, and he deemed it unnecessary.

 

all depends who it is like the fighter. If the champ is down and hurt but gets up let him fight on.

 

i have seen refs begin the count then stop after it is obvious that the fighter is out cold,example manny vs hatton.then i have seen refs count to about six or seven and then stop when they see a guy is out cold,example paul williams vs martinez.so to answer your question i think the rule pretty much already excist,in that the ref has final and ultimate say so.so if the ref thinks the guy is out cold than he has the power to stop the fight and not give the count.if im wrong than yes i believe there should be a defenite rule regarding out cold knockouts.

 

i am correct i went back and watched the hatton ko and the williams ko in the hatton ko the ref never even began the count and in the case of paul williams he got to eight and than began to wave his arms to signal he called the fight.so imo the rule is already there in that the ref has the power to stop the fight at any time,the refs just need to be properly trained as to how to apply this call.

 

Actually, I just watched it and the ref reached the count of 10 in Martinez vs. Williams..

 

this. it would look foolish for a referee to continue counting when he realized that a fighter is completely out when downed. but referees have the discretion to stop a fight even when there was a brutal beatdown already and the other boxer doesn't respond so the referee should be able to distinguish every scenario and be expected to give a wise judgement.

 

watched it again and you are right williams was counted out to ten.

 

Just because it's old school to count any downed fighter to 10 regardless of how badly hurt they are, it does not make it the correct or necessary move.

I'd say leave it to the discretion of the ref to immediately stop the fight. Was it necessary to count Hatton out after Pac brutalized him? Kenny Bayless was correct to stop it. Was it necessary for the ref to count to 10 when he could see Williams was rendered motionless and unconscious by Martinez? When Donaire landed that monster left on Montiel, the ref was correct not to stop it as Montiel tried to get up.

There is also an old school rule where you cannot file a missing person report to the police unless the person has been missing for 24 hours. Should we bring back that old school rule before we start searching for that missing loved one just for the sake of being old school?