If you read the IBF rules, there is NO controversy. Bute won.

I am afraid that is false. Please read the rules before expressing an opinion on them.

This is what the rule in question actually says:

6. The bell will not save a boxer in any round of the bout. If a boxer is "downed" just before the 3-minute bell in any round, the referee's count shall continue and the bell will not ring until the boxer rises and his hands clear the floor.

http://www.ibf-usba-boxing.com/userfiles/File/IBF-USBA%20Bout%20Rules.pdf


Unfortunately, in this fight, the rules were not obeyed.

Bute went down with 2 seconds left of the round. He was up within 6 seconds. He had beaten the count. The bell did not ring, according to the rules, signalling that the fight was over, as soon as he beat the count. Instead, going against the rules, the timekeeper waited for the referee to finish the count, before restarting the fight and then waited for 2 seconds before ringing the bell.

The timekeeper's flaunting of the rules could have cost Bute the win because, theortically, in those extra two seconds he illegaly added to the round, Andrade could have run across the ring and KOed him. ​

 

I am afraid that is wrong. This is how the IBF rules definte being knocked down:

1. A boxer shall be deemed to be down when any part of his body except his feet are on the floor, or if he is hanging helplessly over the ropes as a result of a legal blow as ruled by the referee, who is the only person authorized to determine this.​

Bute got up within 6 seconds of getting knocked down. When he was up no part of his body except his feet were on the floor and he wasn't hanging helplessly over the ropes either. He was up. He beat the count. Since the fight was over, he did not have to prove to be in a condition to continue, as there was nothing to continue.

The referee didn't know that the round was over because the timekeeper flaunted the rules and didn't ring the bell as soon as Bute was back on his feet. That is why he asked Bute to raise his gloves to show he was prepared to continue. Bute did. He even took a shakey step forward. The bell rang and the referee waved it over. Bute then took a couple of shakey steps to his corner.

What is there left to debate here? If the timekeeper's mistake did anything, it proved Bute was fit enough to continue, because he didn't collapse after the fight was restarted, nor as he was walking towards his corner. ​

​

 

Thanks kotjinx you've done a masterful job with the rules et.
With that said I totally disagree with you on several points.

1. I don't think the rules are as clear as they sound, in other words I think they're open for interpretation. You can not convince me that the rule means as long as you can stand. I agree that within the rule Bute were up, but were he out on his feet ? Yes. Both before and after the 24 sec count.

2. If the fight is over when Bute is up, why start the count again? And don't give me the time keeper BS, I suggested he didn't know the rules and now that has become a fact. LOL If he were to ring the bell at the end of the round Bute would still have been on the floor.

3. Is it the referees discretion to stop the fight? Yes and herein lies the problem. He CLEARLY did whatever he could to make sure time ran out and Bute made it up. Bute were in NO condition to continue and the fight should have been stopped. Therefore a robbery.

I don't only blame the ref for this, IBF has a big part in this. How can you in a world tittle fight use a hometown referee? How amateurish is this?

Is this Butes fault? Not at all. He won that fight had it not been for the 12th. round.
I have no personal interest vested in either fighter so this is not a Bute vs Andrade thing for me.

Again, good job man.

 

I am not arguing anything. I am just quoting the rules, which in this case are unequivocal. The timekeeper screwed up and could theoretically have cost Bute the fight, yes.

 

I will repeat myself just once.

According to the rules, the referee should not have determined whether Bute was fit to continue or not because the fight was over - finished - finito!

Bute went down with two seconds left of the round. He beat the count i.e. he was up on his feet unsupported by the ropes before the count of 8 (he was in fact up on his feet within 6 seconds of the knockdown). The timekeeper should have ringed the bell as soon as Bute was on his feet unsupported, because that would have been four seconds after the end of the alocated three minutes. He didn't. Everything that the referee did from that point on is immaterial, because according to the rules, Bute had beaten the count and the fight was over, whether the referee or the timekeeper or Andrade or Bute realised it or not.

 

Unfortunately, having debates with posters who fail to read and understand the rules is pointless when they don't even pay attention or understand the clearest explanations of the implications of what are after all, very clear rules. It's like arguing with a broken record player.

 

Let me just try to explain the highlighted part.
In fact I'm getting tired of all this. IMO the ref did whatever he could to help Bute best the clock, but that's all it is, just an opinion, and we could go back and forth about that forever.
Bute goes down, the ref counts to 6, then yells at Andrade. In the meantime time runs out, and Bute stands up. Now that should end the fight right? Ref goes back and starts counting again, 6 a second time. If the fight is over when Bute stands why count?
That will be all from me.




Andrade KO12 Bute.