Was Cortez interfering too much in Mayweather-Hatton?...

This is a good thread and op Unc. That fight was damn near unwatchable for a time. I don't like Cortez' reffing most times, but in this fight I give him some credit for forcing them to actually fight, as opposed to the huggy fest that was going on prior.

Now, separating the two hurt Hatton more, but that has more to do with the difference in skills than any particular bias. People say he was targeting Hatton, but I think it was because it was obvious that Hatton's one and only plan was to bull rush, land a few and lock Mayweather up. Mayweather, for his part, was happy to oblige that part of it, and do some dirty work of his own.
Hatton's one and only chance in this fight was to be able to get away with that stuff, but that doesn't make it right to do, or enjoyable to watch. We all hem and haw when we see it in other fights.

 

Yes he was

 

Cortez did interfere a lot to disrupt Hatton's natural game. However I don't think the result would be any different had the ref been on Hatton's side. We all know Mayweather is levels above Hatton, even Ricky would admit that.

 

BTW I think Ricky was shot by the time he got KO'd by Pac

 

It wouldn't be so bad if he didn't change the way he referees depending on who is fighting. If you are going to break them up as soon as possible, that is fine. But when you break them up in one fight and allow it in another it shows favoritism.

If I remember correctly, after the Hopkins / Calzaghe fight a lot of people where complaining because he was not breaking them up soon enough.

 

Cortez did a much better job than given credit for. Anytime they were actually fighting on the inside, he let it go. Outside of a few times, he was only breaking it up if some was in a bear hug, or a head lock, or an illegal manuever was being used.

 

Hatton was getting beaten on the inside as well as the outside. For me the only argument was that in the early rounds it was Floyd doing the holding yet Hatton gets the grief based on his history .

 

I agree he wouldn't let PBF work on the inside and he ruined the fight IMO. Even broke it up when PBF hurt Mosley. That was Bayless worst performance as a ref.

 

PBF beat Hatton at his own game it was a beautiful display of ring generalship in that fight. He had Hatton wound up so tight that he didn't know if he was coming or going.

 

Cortez did the right thing not letting Hatton turn it into a wrestling match.

 

:deal

This.

He simply sucked....big time.

He was yelling and practically screaming at times, he interfered way too much and he ruined the flow of the bout.

He's a miserable referee and I dread it when he is chosen as he inevitably acts as though the fan has tuned in for another episode of "The Joe Cortez show".

Cortez ****ing sucks and he needs to retire or be retired.

 

Im a big Hatton fan but the cortez thing is overplayed. He wasnt great but it wouldnt of made a difference, Floyd clearly the better fighter, which is nothing to be ashamed of. I actually think Ricky fought well that night.

 

Yes. He ruined the fight.

 

Yeah, I don't think I gave enough appreciation to Floyd for making Cortez control the fight in the way he did. Other refs might not react in the same way though.