Richard Steele

[ICB]

BTW worst stoppage in the history of boxing. Don't get me started....

Agreed i've had this debate many times especially with BIG H, and my opinion still hasn't changed Meldrick Taylor was robbed.

[BIG H]

I just can't understand people who think that the time is of any relevance. If your reason for thinking he should've been able to continue is because there were only 3 seconds left then you are effectively saying the ref should've helped the fighter, it's no different to saying he should've helped to his feet and held him up

Taylor was fooked, and with hindsight we know how fooked he was, byt the way he was never the same again. Dr. Flip Homansky, who examined Taylor following the fight and immediately sent him to the hospital, summarized his injuries by saying "Meldrick suffered a facial fracture, he was urinating pure blood, his face was grotesquely swollen... this was a kid who was truly beaten up to the face, the body, and the brain"

If that stoppage was at 1 minute of round 8 and Taylor was already loisng badly, nobody would question the stoppage and that's the whole point, because you cannot use time as an argument, this is why ref's do not have watches.

Yeah yeah, we know about that argument, we've hear it many times, but it's not the most relevant argument with respect to time. Take a look at the vid again and ask your self how much time Steele took to make up his mind. If Steele had no intention of waiting for an answer, he shouldn't have been in his face barking questions at him.

You should watch it again mate, coz Taylor hit the deck with 17 seconds left and Steele didn't manage to count to eight until there were 6sconds left, he looked very closely at Taylor and asked him if he was O.K Taylor was gone, couldn't even respond to the question

[ICB]

I just can't understand people who think that the time is of any relevance. If your reason for thinking he should've been able to continue is because there were only 3 seconds left then you are effectively saying the ref should've helped the fighter, it's no different to saying he should've helped to his feet and held him up

Taylor was fooked, and with hindsight we know how fooked he was, byt the way he was never the same again. Dr. Flip Homansky, who examined Taylor following the fight and immediately sent him to the hospital, summarized his injuries by saying "Meldrick suffered a facial fracture, he was urinating pure blood, his face was grotesquely swollen... this was a kid who was truly beaten up to the face, the body, and the brain"

If that stoppage was at 1 minute of round 8 and Taylor was already loisng badly, nobody would question the stoppage and that's the whole point, because you cannot use time as an argument, this is why ref's do not have watches.

Yeah yeah, we know about that argument, we've hear it many times, but it's not the most relevant argument with respect to time. Take a look at the vid again and ask your self how much time Steele took to make up his mind. If Steele had no intention of waiting for an answer, he shouldn't have been in his face barking questions at him.

You should watch it again mate, coz Taylor hit the deck with 17 seconds left and Steele didn't manage to count to eight until there were 6sconds left, he looked very closely at Taylor and asked him if he was O.K Taylor was gone, couldn't even respond to the question

Meldrick Taylor didn't respond because he was distracted by his corner, if you look closely he turned his head into the direction of his corner, when Richard Steele was asking him the question.

And by the time Meldrick Taylor turned his head back the fight was over, Meldrick Taylor was fully aware of his surrondings, and what was going on. Richard Steele didn't give him a chance, no matter what time was left in the round he didn't give Meldrick Taylor a chance IMO.

Come on BIG H Richard Steele certainly had favored Don King fighters in the past, he ruled a BS knockdown in the Razor Ruddock vs Mike Tyson 1 fight, and need i say the controversial stoppage ?

[BIG H]

Yeah yeah, we know about that argument, we've hear it many times, but it's not the most relevant argument with respect to time. Take a look at the vid again and ask your self how much time Steele took to make up his mind. If Steele had no intention of waiting for an answer, he shouldn't have been in his face barking questions at him.

You should watch it again mate, coz Taylor hit the deck with 17 seconds left and Steele didn't manage to count to eight until there were 6sconds left, he looked very closely at Taylor and asked him if he was O.K Taylor was gone, couldn't even respond to the question

Meldrick Taylor didn't respond because he was distracted by his corner, if you look closely he turned his head into the direction of his corner, when Richard Steele was asking him the question.

And by the time Meldrick Taylor turned his head back the fight was over, Meldrick Taylor was fully aware of his surrondings, and what was going on. Richard Steele didn't give him a chance, no matter what time was left in the round he didn't give Meldrick Taylor a chance IMO.

Come on BIG H Richard Steele certainly had favored Don King fighters in the past, he ruled a BS knockdown in the Razor Ruddock vs Mike Tyson 1 fight, and need i say the controversial stoppage ?

Whether or not he was distracted aint Steele's problem, he didn't respond and the rules are you must respond. I'm not sure Taylor was focussing on his corner, i think he was just looking around dazed, the guy was fucked

If the stoppage had occured after 1 minute of round 8 and Taylor had taken a beating for 8 rounds there would be no controversy, there is controvery becuase people look at it emotively and not objectively and no matter whether or not they same time wasn't a factor in their thoughts clearly it was.

[the wiz]

This is an old subject. First of all I'll have to dig up that McGuigan-Cruz fight. One of my favorite fights of all time.

But to the Taylor-Chavez topic. All Meldrick had to do was look at Steele and say he was ok. But that was probably hard with that fat ass Lou Duva up on the apron doing god knows what.

[CGM]

I just can't understand people who think that the time is of any relevance. If your reason for thinking he should've been able to continue is because there were only 3 seconds left then you are effectively saying the ref should've helped the fighter, it's no different to saying he should've helped to his feet and held him up

Taylor was fooked, and with hindsight we know how fooked he was, byt the way he was never the same again. Dr. Flip Homansky, who examined Taylor following the fight and immediately sent him to the hospital, summarized his injuries by saying "Meldrick suffered a facial fracture, he was urinating pure blood, his face was grotesquely swollen... this was a kid who was truly beaten up to the face, the body, and the brain"

If that stoppage was at 1 minute of round 8 and Taylor was already loisng badly, nobody would question the stoppage and that's the whole point, because you cannot use time as an argument, this is why ref's do not have watches.

Yeah yeah, we know about that argument, we've hear it many times, but it's not the most relevant argument with respect to time. Take a look at the vid again and ask your self how much time Steele took to make up his mind. If Steele had no intention of waiting for an answer, he shouldn't have been in his face barking questions at him.

You should watch it again mate, coz Taylor hit the deck with 17 seconds left and Steele didn't manage to count to eight until there were 6sconds left, he looked very closely at Taylor and asked him if he was O.K Taylor was gone, couldn't even respond to the question

I watched it plenty of times. Yeah he looked at him closely, I'll grant you that. But maybe you should watch it again, cause in addition to the distraction from the corner, I'd say at most one second elapsed from the second time Steele asked "Are you ok?" and waving it off. Hardly enough time to respond, never mind make an assessment of the answer. The point is that if Steele had taken the time needed to make a proper assessment, and that doesn't mean extensive reviews of the video tapes after the fact, it shouldn't have ended the way it did.

[No Contest]

Steelie did make the right decision he has not got a stop watch up his ass, he does not want the fighter to die on his guard.

I'm not one to get on someone for stopping a fight, but I have seen people in alot worse situation been waved forward.

[No Contest]

Watch the clip Steel asks you want to continue? Taylor looks to his right and Steele asks again real quickly and waves it off in 1 second. Immediately Lampley goes insane ,lol this is one of the strangest calls in boxing. A Don King cash cow undefeated fighter on a historic streak. Everyone knows if that goes to the cards Taylor won easily. Steele didnt ask him to come forward or even put his hands up. Taylor isn't resigned like he knew he couldnt go on, he was upset.

[johnsebastianmiran]

I was watching that fight at a local watering hole when I watched Julio Chavez beat Taylor's body and opened up his mouth. Taylor was swallowing blood for a good while and still being the matador to the Chavez bull. I am not going to attempt to pass judgment because the one and only time I saw this fight I drank enough beer to fill Lake Michigan and I knew Taylor was hurt and I applauded the stoppage but like I said, a couple of cases were consumed and I had no idea there was a light indicating ten seconds but everyone swears Steele saw it. Well reverend or no reverend if he did and I'm not saying he did, the right people should go over it again or just let Taylor live with the L next to that fight. Taylor was never the same caliber fighter after that fight so you be the judge.

[match]

It's funny how people try to blame Richard Steele for Meldrick losing when in fact it doesn't even come to that if Taylor's idiot cornerman Lou Duva doesn't tell him he needs to go out and win the 12th round. As for Taylor being 'distracted' by Duva coming into the ring that's laughable. A fighter who's looking around after being decked is a fighter who's out of it. Had Duva not climbed up he would have said he was distracted by a ring card girl or someone walking by the ring. You have no excuse for not answering a ref other than being in la la land. It's not Richard Steele's job to hold a fighter by the hand and walk him to the finish line, it's a fighter's job to finish the fight. Sad as it was it was the right decision. Now Tyson-Ruddock I, that's a different story.

[CGM]

It's funny how people try to blame Richard Steele for Meldrick losing when in fact it doesn't even come to that if Taylor's idiot cornerman Lou Duva doesn't tell him he needs to go out and win the 12th round. As for Taylor being 'distracted' by Duva coming into the ring that's laughable. A fighter who's looking around after being decked is a fighter who's out of it. Had Duva not climbed up he would have said he was distracted by a ring card girl or someone walking by the ring. You have no excuse for not answering a ref other than being in la la land. It's not Richard Steele's job to hold a fighter by the hand and walk him to the finish line, it's a fighter's job to finish the fight. Sad as it was it was the right decision. Now Tyson-Ruddock I, that's a different story.

Not that different, just another snap decision by Steele. It's funny though, for a brief moment in that fight Ruddock fell back against the ropes and looked like he closed his eyes as if he was out on his feet. Not sure what that was about, he snapped out of it very quickly, but not quickly enough for Steele I guess.

[BoomBoom]

I just can't understand people who think that the time is of any relevance. If your reason for thinking he should've been able to continue is because there were only 3 seconds left then you are effectively saying the ref should've helped the fighter, it's no different to saying he should've helped to his feet and held him up

Taylor was fooked, and with hindsight we know how fooked he was, byt the way he was never the same again. Dr. Flip Homansky, who examined Taylor following the fight and immediately sent him to the hospital, summarized his injuries by saying "Meldrick suffered a facial fracture, he was urinating pure blood, his face was grotesquely swollen... this was a kid who was truly beaten up to the face, the body, and the brain"

If that stoppage was at 1 minute of round 8 and Taylor was already loisng badly, nobody would question the stoppage and that's the whole point, because you cannot use time as an argument, this is why ref's do not have watches.

Well said. People that blame Steel because he stopped it with 3 seconds left fail to realize that that is a moot point. If there were 10 seconds left, would it be unfair too? How about a minute left? Many people ask where do you draw the line? The answer is you dont. There is no line to draw, and the clock is irrelevant. The timekeeper is responsible for the time, the ref is responsible for the fighters safety. Both did their jobs accordingly.

[CGM]

I just can't understand people who think that the time is of any relevance. If your reason for thinking he should've been able to continue is because there were only 3 seconds left then you are effectively saying the ref should've helped the fighter, it's no different to saying he should've helped to his feet and held him up

Taylor was fooked, and with hindsight we know how fooked he was, byt the way he was never the same again. Dr. Flip Homansky, who examined Taylor following the fight and immediately sent him to the hospital, summarized his injuries by saying "Meldrick suffered a facial fracture, he was urinating pure blood, his face was grotesquely swollen... this was a kid who was truly beaten up to the face, the body, and the brain"

If that stoppage was at 1 minute of round 8 and Taylor was already loisng badly, nobody would question the stoppage and that's the whole point, because you cannot use time as an argument, this is why ref's do not have watches.

Well said. People that blame Steel because he stopped it with 3 seconds left fail to realize that that is a moot point. If there were 10 seconds left, would it be unfair too? How about a minute left? Many people ask where do you draw the line? The answer is you dont. There is no line to draw, and the clock is irrelevant. The timekeeper is responsible for the time, the ref is responsible for the fighters safety. Both did their jobs accordingly.

You know, I agree with this. But that's not the issue that people are complaining about. At least it's not what the previous three people who posted against Steele in this thread are complaining about.

[USAalltheway]

People complaining about Meldrick being robbed should probably first learn the rules of boxing. Not only is a referee NOT required to grab the wrists of a downed fighter, he's not even required to ask him if he's ok(case in point Jay Nady not being disciplined for waving off Zab in his fight with Kostya). He can stop the fight at any moment. The reason a referee grabs a fighters wrists is to wipe off his gloves on his shirt after they've touched the canvas as to not allow dirt in an opponents eyes. And that's normally only done in the event of slips, flash knockdowns, or knockdowns where the fighter is clearly not hurt and the fight will continue. As for people actually thinking the fight was waved off too quickly, Taylor is lucky he was even given as much of a chance as he was to continue by Steele. A referee doesn't just reach the end of his count and evaluate a fighter's condition. He's evaluating him through the entire count, which is why you can see Steele's eyes wide open lazered in on Taylor's eyes throughout the count. Many hurt fighters do not even get asked if they are ok (Tyson reaching his feet on the count of 9 and the fight being waved off as the ref can see his mouthpiece hanging half out of his mouth against Buster Douglas). Meldrick Taylor got KTFO, deal with it. Next you'll be complaining that Steele didn't wave smelling salts under the guy's nose

[Violent Demise]

People complaining about Meldrick being robbed should probably first learn the rules of boxing. Not only is a referee NOT required to grab the wrists of a downed fighter, he's not even required to ask him if he's ok(case in point Jay Nady not being disciplined for waving off Zab in his fight with Kostya). He can stop the fight at any moment. The reason a referee grabs a fighters wrists is to wipe off his gloves on his shirt after they've touched the canvas as to not allow dirt in an opponents eyes. And that's normally only done in the event of slips, flash knockdowns, or knockdowns where the fighter is clearly not hurt and the fight will continue. As for people actually thinking the fight was waved off too quickly, Taylor is lucky he was even given as much of a chance as he was to continue by Steele. A referee doesn't just reach the end of his count and evaluate a fighter's condition. He's evaluating him through the entire count, which is why you can see Steele's eyes wide open lazered in on Taylor's eyes throughout the count. Many hurt fighters do not even get asked if they are ok (Tyson reaching his feet on the count of 9 and the fight being waved off as the ref can see his mouthpiece hanging half out of his mouth against Buster Douglas). Meldrick Taylor got KTFO, deal with it. Next you'll be complaining that Steele didn't wave smelling salts under the guy's nose

Taylor got screwed. Taylor was the champion. He was winning the fight going into the 12th. Yes he got dropped. Yes he was hurt. But he got up. He didn't stumble or wobble. When asked if he could continue he gave a slight nod yes. Isn't that what your suppose to do when you get knocked down? Yet Steele still waved it off.