Quote Originally Posted by Fenster View Post
OK, maybe not the majority, but many refs would have stopped it inside the last 20 seconds. Bute barely has the strength to lift his arms, he can't even hold and his legs are totally gone.

The ref is supposed to be impartial. He isn't allowed to take the time of the round or the fact that one fighter has dominated into account. That would be showing favouritism and also be a danger to hurt fighters.

I guess Andrade is mainly unlucky with the time. Bute could clearly not continue (although he rightfully won according to the rules). He may well have fallen if asked to walk forward.
But being serious for a minute Fenster. Imagine if Bute had made the count, (which he did) and then the ref waved the fight off becuase he felt he couldn't continue even though there was no time left in the fight. It would be a travesty.

I cannot understand how people can argue that under their strict interperations of the rules the ref should have stopped the fight at 0 seconds remaining becuase Bute looked done, but that the ref was wrong to strictly imply the rules of making Andrade stand in the neutral corner before he made that count.

Let's have some consistency here, people want an ultra strict no personal judgement application of one rule, whilst arguing for a more liberal, less harsh and more common sense application of another, makes no damn sense to be

Plus I disagree that Bute was in no condition to continue. Had there been another minute in the fight, as he made the 10 count I would have let him fight on, albiet he would almost certainly get ko'd seconds later unless he could tie up and wrestle Andrade to the floor but I've seen fighters more unsteady on their feet get up and be offered another chance by the ref that that.

Given the fact that he only had to stand up and beat the count to win, it would be completely farcical to have counted him out when he clearly beat the count imo.