“It was a bit confusing when we were in the ring because I thought the fight was over as soon as I saw the towel come in,” said Ponce. “Then I saw the ref throw it out – to be honest it was a bit of a shock. [Ritson] is probably hurt in the rib area now and he wouldn’t have been if he stopped the fight when we saw the towel come in.”
As for becoming mandatory challenger for undisputed 140lb champion Josh Taylor, Ponce stated, “It’s one step closer to my dream. It’s the dream that you always have as a fighter. I’m one step away from that now. Thank you very much, I’m sorry it didn’t turn out as you expected, but thank you very much.”
that referee has to be barred what a c you next Tuesday
Banishment is insufficient.
Lock Him Up. He needs to be arrested.
Learn the rules dopey. In the UK only the ref or doctor can stop the fight. Maybe if the lazy pricks in Ritsons corner wanted the fight stopped they could have walked up the steps and entered the ring to trigger a DQ
@Darin Same thing crossed my mind. If a cornerman enters the ring during the round, that’s a DQ. Was wondering why that move wasn’t made.
In England only the ref can stop the fight, I guest m, but he should have known better.
In England only the ref can stop the fight, but, Ritson was done. He should had known better.
This ref should not only be banned for life, I think the ref should be arrested for attempted murder. He can plea bargain to a lower charge. He needs 5 years in prison for this. #LockUpTheRef.
As far as I know in the UK the ref has the final call, not the corner. Not saying it’s right, but that’s how it is for some fights anyway. I remember years ago, Michael Katsidis was giving Graham Earl a real flogging in the first couple of rounds. Earl’s corner threw in the towel and the ref, Mickey Vann, threw it straight back out. Seconds later, Earl tagged Katsidis and put him on his backside. It turned into a real war until Katsidis finally got the stoppage. I’m not saying the ref got it right for Ritson as I didn’t watch the fight, but it made me think of the Katsidis vs Earl fight when I read this.
the ref does have the final call. that being said, if a corner wants a guy out, the ref should respect that opinion. Their duty is to first protect the fighters.
You are absolutely right. A ref’s “authority” shouldn’t supersede the wellbeing of a boxer. The corner has an obligation to protect their fighter, but they often are slow to throw in the towel because they have to suffer the repercussions. The referee has a duty to protect the fighters and, presumably, no stake in who wins the fight. If the corner throws in the towel, then the ref should damn sure stop the fight. Period.
Your right on part of your point … “Ref first duty is to first protect the fighters” … as to the Ref having the final call should be changed to the Doctor has the final call … you have a Ref who is a mechanic or chef by day and at night making critical decisions on someone’s health … in addition, I don’t know about in GB but in the US if a Ref goes against the corner to stop a fight and the fighter as a consequence suffers a serious injury the Ref could be sued by the fighter or his family and possibly lose his house and other assets …
The one difference is that in the Earl/Katsidis fight it was early in the fight. It’s a brave (maybe foolish call) generally to ignore the towel
Gutsy decision by ref. He was getting body damage not head shots, and Ritson was still firing back. World title shot on the line. Ask Ritson how he felt about refs decision to let him get one last chance. He copped a body belting most of night. Not the usual head trauma.
It is the fight game. They stop fights way too early today.
I recall an announcer explaining that some states specifically forbid stopping a fight by throwing a towel into the ring because there have been incidents where pranksters in the audience threw towels.
That said, you would think that if the cornerman’s intentions were clear, the ref should have waved it off.
The Age of Absurdity. Corner throws in the towel. Referee tosses towel out, allows fight to resume with beaten and diminished fighter being pummeled and sustaining more injury than necessary! That referee needs to go before a firing squad! Outrageous and gruesome level of incompetency!
Ritson’s corner knew the rules. If they had wanted to stop the fight they just needed to walk up the stairs and the fights over by DQ…
By rule, the referee has every right to throw the towel out. That being said, I can’t think of many situations where it’s a good idea.
Even though the ref has the right to toss the towel, I don’t see how it’s a good idea. If you’re the referee, your first focus is to keep the fighters safe. You have to assume a corner knows things about their fighter you do not. A corner could be keeping an injury from the ref that was aggravated. It makes sense to toss it out if the towel makes its way into the ring by accident.
Alternatively, if Ponce were even remotely staggered that ref would have waved it off so fast they’d feel the wind in the back row.
The proper procedure would be :
First pick up the towel so that neither boxer cpuld possible trip on it
Second – call time boxers go to neutral corners – and Ref should have asked the corner directly if he wanted to stop the bout
if corner says YES – bout is stopped
if corner says NO – a point deduction would have been in order
This REF is lucky that kid did not get seriously hurt
The proper procedure should have been:
First – call time-Boxers go to neutral corners- Ref picks up the towel
Second-Ref goes to the corner who threw the towel and asks do you want to stop the bout
if YES-bout is stopped
if No – point deductions can be given
This Ref is lucky that boxer did not get seriously hurt !!
It was obvious, the ref was a typical Brit. ref. when a Brit is fighting. He was trying to give Ritson every chance of pulling off a miracle. His bias could have caused Ritson a serious injury.