Moments That Defined the Best/Worst In A Referee

[SlimTrae]

Over the years boxing brethren across the pond U.K. have stated that the ref for Katsidis vs Earl wasn't that great overall, but the moment Earl's team threw in the towel...and he didn't even look at it..eyes glued on the fight, bent down picked up the towel.
And threw it OUT the ring.

Cause I wasn't aware of the rules for that match I was uh...how do they say Godsmacked! Seconds later Earl drops Kat or at least bent his knees down to his damn ankles.


That is one of my favorite moments of a referee doing a damn good job of knowing the rules, seeing the state of the beaten fighter...gave him some more and Graham for a few moments showed he was still in the fight.


Dirrell vs Abraham, Lawrence Cole F'd that night up in more ways than one. Dirrell got dropped simple, he didn't call it. (1:07 into clip) I was around 8th row or so, and his team looked confused when that happened. Like a sigh of relief.
So I type Lawrence Cole...and what followed? Worse ref compilation.

'He told JMM he was ahead on the scorecards, really?


I forgot about the lowblows Dirrell landed until rewatching this and I remember a fight almost broke out between Abe and Andre fans as a result.

Way too many bad moments, but what about good, great or outstanding moments for a ref? has to be some!!

Can't say I am too familiar with Johnny Callas, but man o man did he do the right thing for Angulo vs Kirkland!
side note a guy I talked with some years ago, Referee Arazaino pointed out nuiances of a ref who not only should know signs of a hurt fighter, but a ref should be cognizant of where the cameras are..I remember telling him one time -when he reffed a fight with Jose Benavidez ..I almost never saw him -that's when he broke it down.

My point? That is how Johnny Callas was ..well you could see him but from time to time he looked like he was stepping way away from the fighters, but I learned that he knew he needed to see the action, but also let the tv viewers see the action and not the ref!

Kirkland is dropped Callas right on it, no time wasted. When he resumes action, notices how he almost runs back to let Angulo run forward LMAO!
About 1:50 in....it seems like the ref realizes he needs to see the action, but he knows he is in the way of cameras...again he backed out the scene!
About 1:35 in- James takin a pounding...and the ref hollars out :You gotta show me something James.
Again, around 1:20 told James I'm a have to stop it James.

Brilliant shit -seems basic, but how often have we seen a quick stoppage WITH NO VOICE COMMANDS? Plenty for me. This was supposed to be home cooking for El Pero, but this ref was on his game, don't push! Watch your heads!

Angulo goes down, James knows his neutral corner, so the ref again on his game counting- BUT just as with James....neither were fast counts of 3,4,5 but 3....4....5... Quick or slow just be consistent is my thing. Same cadence for both.

1st 10 or 20 times I watched this fight I didn't know how vocal the ref was, but without the HBO telecast I honed it and heard this guy constantly reminding in the clinches "watch your heads."

he didn't want this to go by way of a headbutt cut, stoppage.

By 2:20 in 6...anytime was ok, every telecast wanted it stopped, but he gave him an xtra 10-20 seconds to respond--

"Wonderful stoppage," noted HBO commentator Roy Jones Jr.. "A man's life was at stake.
Sweet! He could have done a premature stoppage in favor of Angulo he didn't. He could have stopped it in the 5th- but Alfred would throw something to say he is still in it.

Johnny Callas: Damn good job refereeing Kirkland-Angulo.

[Master]

Hatton was unfairly penalised against Floyd. Cortez was bias and sucking up to Mayweather so he could carry on refereeing his fights in the future. Hatton lost his cool after that and lost the fight.

[SlimTrae]

Hatton was unfairly penalised against Floyd. Cortez was bias and sucking up to Mayweather so he could carry on refereeing his fights in the future. Hatton lost his cool after that and lost the fight.

I'm on the fence with that one. While I can't deny he was making himself too involved, but by later rounds he did let Hatton do his thing. Now was he ticked off by then? Same with Nady on Jones vs Ruiz. Worse breaks to this day for me.
Meaning- when you can count 3 breaks from a referee in the first 35 seconds...horrible. RJJ would've won, but let him win it by himself. I literally remember him calling break while they were punching.

But I digress, Master I am sure you know of a few fights that you felt a difficult job made easy by a referee or two?

[SlimTrae]

I can't think of a particular fight but overall Benjee Estaves and Steve Smoger were usually solid.

I liked when Smoger refused to let the fight begin until James Toney touch gloves with Vasilly Jirov. A few nasty low blows but Smoger handled it well.

[Master]

If I was Ricky Hatton I would have Dave Parris with me to every fight to referee. He allowed Ricky to punch Tszyu in the nuts and got away with it. He would have warned Floyd for holding and moaning. In fact he would have warned Manny for hitting Hatton whilst he was not looking when he knocked him out and given him 10 minute recovery time.

[Spicoli]

This criminal always sticks with me. People said errors or debacles, no looked like a hometown paid man. I've never seen a fighter lifted up, held in place and free to bob around like fully inflated beach ball released underwater ffs. Around 9:20 is when it all starts to go fruity but just an insane fight.

[Spicoli]

Also the poor old ref in the Antonio Tarver v Eric Harding rematch. By the end Tarver was yelling at him for almost getting Harding killed. The guy was awol!

[SlimTrae]

Also the poor old ref in the Antonio Tarver v Eric Harding rematch. By the end Tarver was yelling at him for almost getting Harding killed. The guy was awol!

Like the ref with Mercer Morrison. Mercer was like...man I could've killed the guy, he took way too long. But I still have faith, I'm sure there are some reffing moments that stood out in a sea of bad ones.