RIP Steve Smoger

He was a U of Penn grad and went to George Washington law school. The referee in over 200 title matches. One of the last great referees.

RIP

 

RIP Sir. Loved Smoger. He was one of the most equally-balanced, unbiased, fair but firm referees of all time. We need more refs like him in the sport. He will be dearly missed.

 

Sad to hear.
RIP

 

GOD BLESS and R.I.P. SS

 

Steve was a great referee, a legend. In the Margarito-Cotto 2 classic you notice he asks the doc if the fight was over, doc said yes so Steve stopped the fight. I believe, like me, he knew the doctor wasn't stopping it because of Tony's eye he was stopping it because he could see Cotto wilting & Margarito coming on . He stopped it to save Cotto the embarrassment of quitting on his knees in surrender AGAIN !!! Steve knew & the doctor knew Tony couldn't see out of that eye from round 2 & Steve knew Tony would never have quit Why didn't the doc stop it sooner?????
Yes the crowd did go wild was one of them. Cotto was ready to quit AGAIN!!! Hence his NN ... Quitto
R.I.P, Steve one of the very best

 

One of great referees, seemed to be part of the furniture for an age.
Always seemed to have things in hand and under control and didn’t seek the limelight in there.
Very sad to see the passing of him and Mills Lane, I’m not sure we’ll see their like’s again.
R.I.P. Steve.

 

Almost never stopped a fight too early or too late, great referee. R.I.P.

 

Sad news. Another great ref gone.

I fondly remember the way he engaged Mickey Rourke and Emmanuel Burton (Augustus) in a group hug at the conclusion of their epic 10 rounder in 2001. He showed compassion and respect for fighters.

 

Not gonna argue man, Margarito should've been given the benefit of the doubt. Do you remember how much max was grilling the doctor after?? Sheesh, his integrity was being questioned! " Says doc- it's not like we left it for a short time, it was actually a long while." Moot point, the fight was already stopped. But chit hot damn, what a refereeing job!

 

Steve could see what was happening Tony was coming back & Cotto was fading fast. The Doc called it to save Cotto quitting again, Steve guessed it, so he made sure it was the doc stopped the fight not Steve. The doc's integrity should have been questioned. He knew Tony couldn't see out of that eye from round 2 why didn't he stop it earlier. No he waited till he saw Cotto wilting again just like fight 1. Tony would have made Cotto quit AGAIN!! & he knew it. Cotto never really beat Margarito. The only ones that beat him were the CSAC & Nazim Richardson

 

What's good CJ? I can see you're a diehard for Margarito, in fact I once wrote in to breadman and asked him if margarito already recieved enough slander? Lol he is in fact human. Bread said Cotto would "need to do roadwork backwards for a couple hours a day to deal with the pressure from Margarito " so hence forth I blame the eye on Manny Pacquiao, without Manny there is no Cotto. He set the tables up, Cotto just added the dishware silverware and glasses. Lol PAC beating Cotto gave Cotto a huge fan base. Of course Miguel was humbled by pound for pound king. But to be fair Antonio was a whole different animal. Like I said before, the Pacquiao fight, it's a damn shame they lost in a fashion that deteriorated his eye. Like I said before STEVE SMOGER gave every chance to Margarito, the doctor eye ball specialist didn't. I will ask what max asked "did you rob us of a natural conclusion to that prizefight?" Robert was irate, tony was ready to go to war. But Cotto was ever the opportunist targeting that eye. I even bought a Antonio Margarito shirt back in the day, but hey man that's cool that you look up to him. Him and Pacquiao have a nice rapport. Matter of fact he hurt Pacquiao many times In that fight.

 

I was there in Texas Before the fight Robert queried Freddies wrapping said he was stacking the wraps wanted them removed Freddie refused . The commission wouldn't insist so they went ahead. Ive never seen Pac hit that hard before to mess up Tony's face like he did, so it made us wonder. After the fight Pac said" I was foolish taking that fight, Ive never been hit so hard I was lucky to survive". He collapsed in pain later & was taken to hospital his ribs badly damaged. I don't think believe either Pac or Tony ever deliberately loaded the gloves but Freddie was heard to say " Stacking the wraps is legal in Texas anyway" Seems hes right lol Ive known Tony since 1999 when he came to Ft Worth Texas to fight been to the majority of his fights since never ever saw anything illegal ever

 

You mean Micky Ward, or did Augustus fight the actor Mickey Roark?

 

RIP
He was solid.