Chavez vs. Taylor I...why did Steele stop the fight!?!?!

Y did fat dova get on the ring apron! still shound't have been stopped!

The timing was unfortunate, but the referee absolutely made the correct call... He asked Taylor if he was ok. Taylor, completely dazed, had no response. At this point the referee could have legitimately stopped the fight but considering the magnitude of stopping the fight so late, Steele asked Taylor again. Still nothing. Whether it's two seconds or two minuets the fight was over at that point. A boxing official’s main job is to protect the health of the fighters in the ring. As well, Steele couldn’t say for sure who was winning the fight, nor did he know for sure how many seconds were left. Again, it's hard because we all have the benefit of hindsight to know that Taylor would have won by split decision but the decision to stop the fight, though unfortunate, was absolutely the right decision under the circumstances. Frankly, Taylor could have used more referees like Richard Steele in his career as he can barely put together a sentence at this point, which in my opinion is a hell of a worse tragedy than losing a fight. I wish Taylor well in his life.

he didn't get the response....????..........he got up.............why should a fighter have to say anything..........he got up...............in the 12th round at that...........a fighter is clearing his head.....and you want to ask him questions when he has 10 seconds or less to resume fighting????........please............every last chavez fan i've talked to has been straight phony on this topic when they say........steele didn't get the response........lol.....snicker.......when they have seen fighters hurt far worse than taylor.........never answer a ref, and are still allowed to continue..........and a 140 lb unification fight too...............and i rooted for chavez and years later came to the conclusion it was a bad stoppage............i hated mel's style and was glad chavez beat him..........but damn......... I know u arent serious? I wasnt a fan of either fighter, but if one fighter is getting seriously hurt and doesnt respond to the ref, u know damn well that the drill is to stop the fight.

Worst Stoppage Eva

Taylor didn't respond to him and looked out, yeah it sucks to get stopped while winning with 2 seconds left but he didn't respond like he should have

So you're saying ref's asking a fighter if they can continue is bad for boxing? Am I honestly reading that correctly?

Hearns looks directly into Steeles eyes, something Taylor failed to do. He slightly nodded his head, ever so slightly. Yes, he did look like a bobble head, but he did reply, something Taylor failed to do. Could Taylor have finished and won? Yes, but the fact of the matter is, he didn't answer a simple question with words, he didn't even look at the guy. Taylor fucked up, not Steele. Hearns looked directly into Steele's eyes no more than Taylor did. There was a short time where Taylor is looking directly at Steele before he turns his attention to Duva. Hearns looked into Steele's eyes and said NOTHING. He didn't nod his head by his own will, he was stumbling around and his head was bouncing around. Not to mention Steele made sure Barkley was in an appropriate corner. Not to mention Hearns tried to get up and slumped back to the canvas looking like a corpse. Not to mention Hearns was slower and less steady to get up than Mel. Hearns didn't reply any more explicitly than Mel Taylor and Steele sent him back out to fight. Tommy got up and was allowed to continue, Mel got up and was not. You said it yourself, that's your definition of a shitty ref, just happened to fit Steele's agenda when he stopped Taylor.

hearns deserved to fight on, and hearns was hurt far worse than taylor..........both were champions who deservd to fight on with the ref close by...........hearns went down against leonard in round 13, the ref counted, brushed gloves and let him go...didn't say a word.............. People... understand. In a perfect world, yes, Steele would've let Taylor fight on and win given how little time was left in the fight.... but that's not how shit works. There are rules. Steele asked and asked again, he then did the only thing he could do at that point. Imagine the outcry if Steele had asked another 2 times and not gotten an answer as the final bell rings and then Taylor wins a decision? It's not, by my knowledge, required that a ref ask if they can continue. But it's their job to assess if a fighter can continue to fight. They ask them a question, look them over, ask them to step to them, etc... If they ask the question they damn well better use the answer (or lack thereof).

Lets be honest, Hearns couldn't have looked worse. He wasn't asked the questions that Taylor was even though it was early in the fight as opposed to the final 10 seconds. But you obviously aren't going to change your opinion so I'll just leave it at that. I wasn't gonna' respond in this thread again... but you're going to tell me you don't see and hear Steele ask Hearns a question before letting him continue?

Hearns looks directly into Steeles eyes, something Taylor failed to do. He slightly nodded his head, ever so slightly. Yes, he did look like a bobble head, but he did reply, something Taylor failed to do. Could Taylor have finished and won? Yes, but the fact of the matter is, he didn't answer a simple question with words, he didn't even look at the guy. Taylor fucked up, not Steele. Lets be honest, Hearns couldn't have looked worse. He wasn't asked the questions that Taylor was even though it was early in the fight as opposed to the final 10 seconds. But you obviously aren't going to change your opinion so I'll just leave it at that.

i didn't see hearns respond. he looked like a bobble head from the shock of being hit with barkleys best sunday punch and i didn't see his mouth move whatsoever. steele let him continue. "he gets up!! just before being counted out he gets up!!" fights resumes... Hearns looks directly into Steeles eyes, something Taylor failed to do. He slightly nodded his head, ever so slightly. Yes, he did look like a bobble head, but he did reply, something Taylor failed to do. Could Taylor have finished and won? Yes, but the fact of the matter is, he didn't answer a simple question with words, he didn't even look at the guy. Taylor fucked up, not Steele.

so you wouldve been ok had chavez not answered steele if chavez were in taylor's shoes?????.......lol................you don't ask a fighter any questions after 12 hard rounds............if he visibly can't continue.........stop the fight.........this was a unification fight.........chico said a fighter deserves the chance to go out on his own feet or his back.........taylor deserved to continue with the ref close by..........steele was never respected ever again after that fight............. If Chavez doesn't respond to Steeles 2 questions, yes, I'd be fine with it. You always ask a fighter if hes ok. 1st round or 12th. As has already been stated by one honest person here, people are mad because they lost money. Did Taylor fight a great fight yes, did he respond at the moment he needed to? No. Fight over.

He's a fool. Despite havin the best seat in the house to see the fight, he forgot Taylor was way ahead and didn't have enough time left to get hurt any worse if the fight went on.

Taylor. Heres a question for ya, who responded back? i didn't see hearns respond. he looked like a bobble head from the shock of being hit with barkleys best sunday punch and i didn't see his mouth move whatsoever. steele let him continue. "he gets up!! just before being counted out he gets up!!" fights resumes...

this topic has been beaten into the ground. always has, always will. this is the case because there are a lot of people who feel strongly that the outcome of the fight was spoiled and incorrectly handled by a jackass ref. And there are just as many people who strongly feel the outcome was correct.

yeah, i would.......steele had no business stopping that fight...........too much was on the line........and i rooted for chavez.......... Horrible. To send out a guy who doesn't respond back to your questions is just horrible.

here ya go. you tell me who gets up looking better...hearns or taylor. Taylor. Heres a question for ya, who responded back?

According to Scott, Hearns even barely, acknowledged he could continue, Taylor didn't even barely do that. See the difference? no. watch the fight. form your own opinion...don't come at me with this.

After this fight Mildrik started to lose frequently. Have you seen what he looks like now?? I feel bad for the guys but those are the consequences that are involved with the sweet science.

this is 1 topic that i feel peole are going to always bring up this topic has been beaten into the ground. always has, always will. this is the case because there are a lot of people who feel strongly that the outcome of the fight was spoiled and incorrectly handled by a jackass ref.