Look, Usyk won that fight...Chavez-Taylor all over again.

Ok, fine.

 

It is the ref's decision, and Rico was not defending himself after the knockdown.

"Defend yourself at all times."

 

outlet after outlet thinks Rico deserved to go on

we’ve seen plenty of fighters in non competitive fights get to go on

 

Yeah he def won, it was a bad stoppage but Rico was wobbled asf and probably would not have survived and I agree I don't think it was rigged. If the saudis were rigging fights Wilder would not have lost to Parker.

 

Watching it back, the worst thing about the stoppage is that the bell goes before the stoppage, with Usyk then landing somewhere between 3-6 punches AFTER the bell.

He's technically stopped the fight AFTER the bell not in the final few seconds at the end of the 11th as people have tried to claim.

 

Only the referee counts, and he was enforcing, "defend yourself at all times."

 

that’s like saying the judges only count when we know the judges can be wrong all the time. Jesus Christ, I can’t even argue with you anymore.

 

It's on the ref's conscience to protect the fighters. That is all.

 

Usyk won the fight, it was not a "robbery", especially as Rico spat his gum shield out twice when hurt, but it's controversial.

I can't help thinking there is official bias here. Two judges had it 95-95 after 10, which is way out of step with how the public saw it. Even the judge that had it for Rico only did so by 2 points, which is probably generous to Usyk. Maybe the public gave Rico a too much credit based on the underdog factor; a lot of his work was not clean, and Compubox stats suggested a close fight. But I think Usyk was losing by a few points after 10, and may well have needed another KD to legitimately salvage something.

The referee jumped in much too quickly, in a manner we never see against the politically favoured fighter. I don't think the referee cares about Rico's health that much and there was no cause for it, given he hadn't taken that much punishment in the rounds prior, with round 4 the only exception.

 

okay buddy

ignore

 

Right back at you loony-tunes.

 

I don't like either stoppage TBH.

But i'm more happy with Usyk/Rico because Usyk had another round to finish off Rico and more than likely he would've finished him off.

So whilst i don't like the stoppage and would rather of Usyk been allowed to finish the fight more convincingly aswell as Rico being allowed to go out on his shield.

I don't think there's much doubt that Usyk would've got him out of there in the 12th round.

But Taylor losing a fight with 2 seconds left after being ahead 8-3 on my card is pretty cruel though.

And if Chavez had been in that same situation i don't think Steele would've stopped it that's my opinion.

 

They are both controversial but the point is--the ref is instructed to protect the fighters, not to keep track of the time. That is why this is going to happen occasionally.

In both cases, I wish the man would have gotten his chance, but I don't think that the ref did anything wrong.

 

I think in regards to Rico/Usyk it was just bad unfortunate timing.

If the knockdown had happened a minute earlier in the round and the referee stopped it in the same manner there wouldn't of been much of an issue.

But stopping the fight right as the bell rung as i said unfortunate timing it robbed Usyk of a convincing stoppage.

And it also robbed us the fans of extra drama to see if Rico could've held on after a 1 minute rest.

I personally think Usyk would've got him out of there in the 12th but it would've been nice to actually see it.