The top ten referees throughout boxing history.

Are Jay Nady, Eddie Cotton, Wayne Kelly, Rudy Battle, and Mitch Halpern Hall of Famers of the future, Canastota?

 

What? Stopping fights late is terrible! I think premature stoppages are better than boxers having permanent brain damage

 

I came into this thread just to mention him. You beat me to it. Outstanding ref. Never saw him make a wrong move, but like you said he flew under the radar. Maybe he liked it that way.

 

He was basically saying “Hey everybody, look at me.”

 

You don't have the right to choose for them.
I believe the best idea is to ask each boxer before a fight when he wants the ref to intervene, then put them sign a paper with their choice, so that the ref is absolved of any blaim if a boxer doesn't want the fight stopped early and he gets brain damage.

 

That's an interesting proposition. The referee, of course, would have to take not only the fighter's words into account, but the fighter's body language when answering the question. And the question should probably be asked and answered one on one, so the fighter isn't feeling like he has to bluster in front of his entourage, i.e. "Don't stop this fight unless I'm dead!", when what he really is thinking, "I've got kids and a family. I don't want to be permanently injured trying to provide for them."

 

Siler had fantastic ability and command of the fighters. I liked his sweeping count with his had, however I do find him a little biased.

 

Maybe. But he apparently didn't talk, much less brag, about his refereeing at his day job. I know I'd be like, "After work I have to fly to Vegas to referee the Holyfield - Tyson rematch!"

 

The ref would see what the boxers chose/the paper they signed before the fight and they'd get to talk to them. so if a boxer choses to never be waved off unless he's unconscious ("Don't stop this fight unless I'm dead!"), that's what the ref would have to do during the fight.

 

@Richmondpete Do you believe Jay Nady, Wayne Kelly, Eddie Cotton, Rudy Battle, and Mitch Halpern are future International Boxing Hall of Famers?

 

No

 

There are so many issues with this system.

It would just turn into arguments about "I said stop the fight if I was completely out on my feet, I was only dazed". And I don't care what they say pre-fight, no one would be happy if they were stopped for not being in as bad condition as their opponent was earlier in there fight, because their opponent was more willing to risk getting killed.

It's hard enough to enforce one standard let alone multiple.

 

@sweetsci In your estimation, is any one of the following refs a future International Boxing Hall of Famer: Rudy Battle, Jay Nady, Wayne Kelly, Eddie Cotton, Mitch Halpern?