We can ALL agree that it was too early, even if we are talking a matter of 2-5 seconds too early. It was simply too early. It's understandable if Foster can and probably has justified his decision to himself and stands by it. Human beings hardly ever are able to admit they were wrong about anything. I wonder if he regrets stopping it as soon and not letting it go for a few more seconds when you consider - Froch, Groves and Hearn have said they thought it was too early. - The Sky panel of broadcasters/commentators went on and on about how it was too early. - IBF ruled it was too early. He also won't be working for the IBF again. - Groves, the fighter he was trying to protect, has constantly been on TV/in the press going on about how it was too early and saying he did a bad job and was amateurish on the night, allowing the press/public opinion to influence his decision. All of this could have been avoided if he just let the fight go on a few more seconds. Either Groves would have been clearly hurt and stoppable (i think this would have been the case), or Groves would have been able to ride it out. All of this backlash would have been avoided. I don't think he's been able to admit to himself that he got it wrong but he might still regret stopping it? What do you think?
TBH Howard Foster has had a track record of stopping fights on the safe side. I moaned on here 3 years or so ago about him wanting to get fights finished with on undercards, He always stops it and walks to his towel like ''another fight done''. So he's consistent with regards to going in early to stop fights. Groves and Fitzpatrick did complain to the IBF about him being selected as the ref. Max Maxwell vs Tom Doran a prime example of Foster bringing a halt to proceedings earlier then what people wanted. I think he does regret it in some ways, I think he probably regrets the way he stopped it from a positional POV. It looked very messy and at a strange angle but i don't think he feels he stopped Groves from winning like a majority of fans on here and in the sport. I think he genuinely felt Froch was finishing Groves off after 40 seconds on from the initial punch that lead to Groves being shook to the final punch that snapped his head sideways. I be honest i did as well but i did want to see it go a little longer but end of the day it's not my job that's on the line when a fighter gets stretchered out of a ring and placed on life support machines and your asked in a hearing why did you let it go on. As for his refereeing in the fight itself it was pretty lackadaisical in all honesty. Froch being dirty with forearms and rabbit punches and punching on breaks and Groves punching after the bell in round 1 and blatant use of the head in clinches.
Even if fosters believes he made the right call (Which He probably does) he will regret stopping it because of all this backlash. He is a human being who would of been affected by it all, and oddly received more criticism for the early stoppage than if he let a fight go on to long and someone got seriously hurt unnecessarily. I thought his whole performance was poor personally, and as Mandana says in the post above, his positioning was poor, especially if he was having a good look at groves.
I wonder if Foster grabbing Groves in a head lock allowing Froch to get in a few sneaky punches was part of Eddie's plan.
I expected nothing less from Howard Foster than to call proceedings to a premature end by means of Joke stoppage. Howard Foster has a proven track record of joke stoppages and for the life of me do not know why the IBF would ever allow him to ref a world championship fight. The man is a walking, clueless joke. He probably regrets absolutely nothing and repeats daily the mantra; 'better a punch too early than a punch too late' to himself whilst watching replays of Watson vs Eubank 2 on Youtube.
If the second fight pans out how I expect it to: Froch stopping Groves again, but this time after a more brutal stoppage as the ref will be under STRICT instructions not to jump in too early... Then no, I don't think he will feel bad at all - and if anything will feel quite smug.
Of course Foster will regret having stopped it. He stopped it too early. It's a judgement call though and occasionally people make a judgement that is less than perfect.