Given the continued crying and moaning about Pac's win over JMM I am interested to see what people think have been the most controvresial errors of judgement in boxing (by that I dont mean Klitschko deciding to fight Lewis - I mean points decisions scored incorrectly). For the record I scored Pac v JMM a 114-114 draw. But I wouldnt argue against a slight win for either fighter. In my mind not a controversial decision - just a debateable one. The first fight to spring to mind for me is Lewis v Holyfield I. I havent watched the fight for a while but seem to remember Lennox taking 8-9 rounds and it STILL got scored a draw!! Remember one judge even scoring it something like 115-113 to Holyfield! Others in my short list; Casa v Santa Cruz, Hagler v Leonard and Spinks v Holmes II.
i know it was not professional but roy jones jr in the olympics has to be up there landed like 3 times as many punches than the other guy, the other guy even had a standing 8 count yet they scored against him, was all about the politics, the other fighter even admitted he lost after the fight and held up roy jones jr' hand.
well, the worst decision ive ever seen was brinkley v. bonsante II on one of those contender cards. Brinkley didnt even come close to winning one round and was given the victory.
Whitaker vs Chavez. DeLahoya vs Trinidad. But the worst robbery I have seen wasnt really in a big fight but it was Courtney Burton getting a dec over Emanuel Augustus. There should have been a police investigation after that bullsh*t.
Yeah - probably should have said most controversial 'pro' fights as I know dozens of fighters who would kick off about decisions in amateurs. RJJ was particularly bad though given the stage it was on!! As for Hagler v Leonard - I'm as hagler fan so that fight REALLY grates on me!! Cant help but feel that Marvin wasnt the same after it and as a result we lost a couple more years of his magnificent ability.
Just a few: Leonard-Hearns II Fenech-Nelson I chavez-taylor I Chavez-Whitaker (although I scored it a draw) Mancini-Camacho
You know the first half of a fight has the same value as the second half, and hagler didnt win the first half of the fight Ray did and he did so fairly easy. The second half Hagler won but not as easy as Ray won the first half. For me I honestly think that Hagler knew that he lost that fight, the little dance at the end?? I have/had most of Haglers fights on tape, well my dad did. And never ever once did he do that little dance. He can say whatever now but I just dont believe him...deep down he knows that he lost a fight that he should have won.
Lewis Holyfield I was one of the worst, if not the worst, I ever saw. I thought LL won 10 rounds. My brother in law, who is a huge Holyfield fan, said after the final bell, "If they don't give this to Lennox, it will be the biggest robbery ever." When the decision was announced, I was speechless.
Tyrone Everett vs Alfredo Escalera Jose Luis Ramirez vs Pernell Whitaker I Julio Cesar Chavez vs Pernell Whitaker Evander Holyfield vs Lennox Lewis I
That Whitaker - Chavez draw in San Antonio is still gonna be present 10 years from now. There have been threads in the board about that one and you will find people supporting either case forever more... Most controversial decision in boxing, no doubts about it... Hearns-Leonard II, Holmes-Spinks II, Toney-Tiberi, De La Hoya-Trinidad, Lewis-Holyfield I, Pacquaio-Marquez I, Wright-Taylor and Forrest-Quartey are other examples.
I never had a problem with Lewis/HolyfieldI; I scored to Lewis 115/113, so a draw is not that far away.... Escalera/Everett was fixed; I suspect Whitaker/RamirezI was as well. Benn/MalingaI was an awful, awful decision; we Brits moan about Europe and America robbing us, but poor old Sugarboy was done in the first Benn fight, was unlucky to lose to Eubank and even when he did get a win (Benn rematch) it was only a split win.:-(