By Jeff Zimmerman
Hall of Fame Referee Richard Steele broke down Saturday’s Super Fight between Errol Spence Jr. and Terence “Bud” Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Steele shared his memories from his Super Fights he refereed back in the day from Hagler-Hearns, Leonard-Hagler and Chavez-Taylor as well as his relationship with the “GOAT” Muhammad Ali. Steele also discussed his undefeated super middleweight from Guatemala, Lester Martinez, who is now trained by Crawford’s trainer BoMac, as well as his Richard Steele Foundation & Boxing Club.
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Wow I just remember him stopping way too many fights early
Unfortunately for Steele, the Chavez-Taylor & Tyson-Ruddock fights seem to be the ones that people remember him for. The Tyson-Ruddock stoppage was particularly bad, but I remember Steele generally being a
rock-solid ref outside of that, probably one of the best of the 80s and 90s.
Richard Steele = A U.S. Marine (forever).
I love Richard but he robbed Taylor against Chavez.
I’m sure he’s cool but his mistake cost Taylor his big win. I saw that fight live on PPV and all the controversy that it brought.
That wasn’t a mistake. It was called doing his job correctly.
In amongst his few mistakes and some on paper dodgy appearing decisions like Meldrick Taylor v Chavez with seconds to go when it was clear Meldrick would have won the fight , as there
Would be been zero time for Chavez , to follow up . Richard was actually the best of the refs . Better than Mills Lane r.I.p , I thought .
Looking at Taylor today he should have stop the fight earlier. Taylor took a horrible beating in that fight and he never was them same after the fight.