Was Manny Steward so pissed that he was actually...

The fact of the matter is, if a fighter intentionally hits another fighter when he's on the canvas, that's a DQ. The only controversy is whether or not the punch was intentional.

 

heres the video with HBO commentary:

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The problem is Lorenzo continued weaving his head while he was on his knees as if he were still fighting. With his head at the same level as if he were bobbing and weaving normally, how could Soto have known he'd even taken the knee when he threw the last glancing punch?

 

technically it was a hit to the back of the head while he was down, so it was a foul. But it didn't look intentional, so..

 

The real problem is that Cortez's decision making process resembled an eighty year old in the far left lane looking for an exit. Letting the fight go on after Lorenzo took an unanswered pummelling was his first mistake. Breaking the action for no defensible reason was his second one. Failing to stop the action after Lorenzo took a knee was his third. Ruling the punch to the back of the head as intentional was his fourth.

This isn't similar to Griffin - Jones at all. Roy was deep into a fight he realized he might be losing and was desperate for a KO, so he threw a dangerous shot and got caught doing it. Soto was dominating until he found himself jobbed by absolutely atrocious reffing. I agree that more talented, more aware fighters might have stepped away after Lorenzo fell to his knees, but it's the referree's job to stop the action, not the fighter's.

Honestly, watching live I thought Lorenzo was pulling a Sweet Pea and was ducking shots out of a deep squat, because he still had his hands up and was moving his head. My excuse is PBR and a room full of shouting people. Soto's excuse is the heat of the moment. What the hell is Cortez's excuse?

 

Ok, so you're of the opinion that punch wasn't intentional. This is why I said that this is at the crux of the controversey. If you don't think the punch was intentional, then clearly Cortez was in the wrong. If you think the punch was intentional, then he made the right decision.

 

I have never seen Manny like that ever, he was really pissed and emotional.

 

What's your take on it Reg? Maybe I'm looking at it through tinted glasses, but I'm not sure how Cortez could've possibly seen it as intentional. As soon as Cortez stepped in, Soto stopped, and Lorenzo was still making fighting movements when the punch grazed him. The right call would've been penalizing him 1 point for an unintentional late hit, and then awarding him a TKO victory to me.

 

Personally, I think Cortez ****ed up. Why the hell would Soto purposely foul Lorenzo? He was beating the **** out of the guy. Now if he hit with a two piece, or something like that, then Cortez would have an argument. However, Lorenzo was only hit once and it sure as hell didn't look intentional. Persoanally, I would've just counted his ass out. However, Cortez still could've avoided the controversey had he just told the commisioner that the foul was unintentional. Once he said it was intentional, Soto had to be DQ'd. I'm glad the WBC is ordering a rematch.

As for Cortez, I think the Mayweather/Hatton fight has gotten to him. I didn't think he was that bad in that fight. However, the criticsim has him second guessing himself in there. He needs to take a break from big fights for a little while or maybe permanently.

 

Agreed. :!:

 

i like the fact that you bring up the question of was the punch intentional.
the answer is hell yes it was intentional. every punch in boxing is thrown intentionally. nobody throws a punch by accident. the question is did he intend to foul him. that answer imo is no. but unfortunately he did. and he had to pay the price for cortez's ineptitude.

it was a hardcall to make based on the circumstances, but it was the correct call. the man was fouled, and was unable to continue after the foul. therfore resulting in a dq for the offending fighter.

we all know that lozano was looking foa way out of the fight, but cortez screwed up and unfortunately soto has to pay the price.

 

My mistake, when I said the punch, I meant the foul; was the foul intentional.

 

Yes .. it was a very dire result..

Soto was so far in front and gaining momentum that he should have just had his hand raised.... I am glad they are reviewing it and demanding an immediate rematch...

 

I didn't see Manny get pissed cause I didn't buy the card, but Steward should be pissed. He has first hand knowledge of what it takes to prepare for a fight and for a ref to end things like that it just brought back all those feelings of frustration that Manny has obviously suffered through before.

 

Cortez is old and damn senile.

Even just 5 years ago he was among the best refs in the sport.