A discussion on British referee's

As insightful as that comment is I must disagree, they get a hard ride at least some of the time because some people are desparate to appear 'worldly', 'in the know' and continually looks for faults where there arn't any.

As I mentioned re. the Cotto-Clottey fight there seems to be double standards on how British refs are assessed against how American refs are judged. Too many people are just itching to have a pop and look for the lamest excuse to do it.

Now who's putting word in other peoples mouths? I'm not saying they should stop it at the first sign of trouble, just that these Saad like comebacks arn't going to happen. Yes, (as I've said) they do stop them too early on occasion but I doubt very much they are doing it to increase KOs percentages (these fights would end in KO anyway) and yes, there is a element of pre judging the fight but in a lot of these fights they are so one sided on paper (and in the ring) that its just amounts to the ref being realistic about the type of fight they are officiating.

 

A bad stoppage i have seen lately was Sutherlands last fight. The guy was taking shots but was given them straight back. There are some early stoppages in fights early on in near every fighters career. The brit ones seem to be earlier than most compare the FFN stoppages to the ESPN FNF ones later the same day. I can't think of a really early stoppage on the ESPN card.

 

I've been following boxing a long time and European refs have always (on average) stopped fights earlier than American refs. Its not a modern phenomenon or indicitive that British refs are being paid off by promoters to increase KO percentages.

 

Good journeyman know how to survive atm in this country we are lacking them we only have a handful of good journeyman. A lot of the prospects are fighting europeans with similar amount of fights but poor records and have little to no skill at all. They take some shots and the ref jumps in.

A lot of the time it's a fair call but the recent Darren Sutherland fight was a terrible call because Sutherland was also cut and having questions asked of him. Where as you get a fight like DeGale Healy and Healy's getting bashed rotten and ain't gonna win the fight he may as well stop the fight. The Gavin vs Fearn fight was also a good call.

It's a fine line calling a stoppage....and also the fact the ref has a lot to call into question...the journeyman mostly has another fight lined up and doesn't want a medical suspension so the ref's have to think on there feet...it's just sad when you see inconsistency with a certain few referees judgements.

 

I wouldn't say the refs are being paid off but there has been a lot of stoppages with well known prospects where the journeymen are beat by a big flurry with not a lot landing. Although saying that some journeymen give the ref every right to jump in and stop the fight. Some would just come in take there beating and hardly throw anything back then they put on a surprised face as if why was it stopped.

 

It may sound corny, but it is much better to stop fights too soon than too late.

If a decent scrap is stopped (in some peoples opinions) too early. The boxers can get another pay day out of a rematch, and fighters are saved from further punishment; it is a win/win situation.

Although only an (awful) Junior amateur, I can tell you, if a fight goes any distance no matter how easy it seems, if you get hit, it hurts, maybe not there and then, but when you wake up in the morning...

Fighters and Trainers are the last people who should be asked if they wish the fight to continue.

Generally from what I have seen, the British refs do an excellent job, and are some of the best referees in the world, because the BBB of C keeps up standards.

 

I've got no problem with wanting the fights to go longer (although I rarely see the need myself) thats just a matter of opinion but its when every ****ing stoppage or refs decision is seen as part of a massive conspiracy to con the poor old British fight fan....atsch

 

I think you misunderstood me. I'm all for reffing with common sense and having knowledge of the fighters you are officiating.

My point with Muhammad is he wouldn't get anywhere with Brit refs because most fights seem to be stopped early, even the better fighters as soon as they are hurt the fight is as good as over.

As for the journeymen, they don't get cut any slack whatsoever, its not about asking for them to be officiated on the same level as that, but simply not stopping the fight as soon as a few flurries are thrown.

 

I think Saad would get stopped by a lot of American refs these days as well, when he was fighting people were aware of his reputation and he probably got a bit more leeway than the average fighter in his positition would get.

Athought I'm generally fine with things as they are in these prospect-oppoment fights, I don't really have a strong opinion on whether they are stopped too early or not TBH.

Its just these BS referee/ promoter conspiracies that get on my tits. Every fight somebody comes up with some half baked "nudge nudge, wink wink" theory why a certain ref has behaved a certain way in one of the fights.

 

Worst stoppage I have ever seen, honestly.

You can not ask the corners to step in big trainers would feel more like their fighter has to be ko'd rather than throw in the towel. Margs trainers sending him out for the 9th against Mosley was a bad move. But some like Buddy will do it for the attention.

 

It's a case of once (or more) bitten twice shy. People so often see pure bull**** around the world as far as appeasing the home fighters, and its not as if Britain has been adverse to it.

Personally, thats not what my opinion is founded on anyway. I can see what happens in the ring, dudes not even hurt and defending themselves and they get stopped. I wonder if some of these refs have a background in chess or underwater polo they are such wimps.

 

All over the world home fighters do tend to get the advangtage in a percentage of fights and its totally wrong but I don't think British boxing is anywhere near to worst and the constant nitpicking of our refs by fans is OTT where playing the 'homer' is concerned.

So are they wimps or part of the Grand British Boxing Conspiracy?

 

Mostly just wimps, I wouldn't call it a conspiracy but there are also probably weak characters out there affected by outside sources and the crowd. That's common across all sports.

 

I'm more concerned with the scoring of a fight between a journeyman and a house fighter, though there are a few bull**** stoppages.

Some of Michael Alexander's scorecards have to be seen to be believed.

Come back Eugenia Williams, all is forgiven.