imo Smoger is the best ref in the business. He refs on the east coast, he refs in Japan, he refs in Latin America, but he doesn't go to Vegas? wtf is up with that.
It's strange that he fights in Japan but not in Vegas. Maybe it's the way they devide the country in between them. Do Las Vegas refs ref a lot in Atlantic City? Why does he not ref in Europe is what I want to know.
We should get Smoger and Bayless to live in Europe and ref our fights. Send Cortez to Germany or Italy, where the winner has been decided by the judges prior to the first bell - so he has much less influence on the outcome.
Presumably, he's not licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. In Nevada, the state assigns the referee, not the promoter, so in order to stay licensed there, you need to be able to referee there pretty regularly. Thus, most of the Vegas referees mostly only ref in Vegas. Also, Smoger is a judge (like a judge in a real court) in Atlantic City, so he can't do non-NE fights on days other than Saturdays. Thus, he wouldn't be able to ref in Vegas if the state assigned him to a weekday fight in Vegas, and you only get so many passes to stay licensed.
He has in the past, very good job in Castillejo vs Carrera II for example (WBA eliminator fight in November 07)
Very interesting. I wonder if he judges like he ref's? Would be interesting. Hands off, let the parties go at it.....
One too many fighters filed complaints of their arse being groped during their bout refereed by Smoger.