Referee Victor Laughlin should have his licence revoked

Look at the kids face, this is a brain bleed in progress... https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhirpub.hu%2FCimke%2FNick_Blackwell&psig=AFQjCNGsrcsWHRmdL5ZF_zqDVOQk8sZCXA&ust=1459238984193552 Blackwell should never have been left in a situation where he has brain damage. The referee should have his licence revoked and his corner should be suspended from ever again being in control of a fighter. If Blackwell survives, what is left for him? Peter Hamlyn the eminent consultant neurosurgeon who *operated on Michael Watson and saved his life, watched a rerun of Saturday’s contest and said that he believed “clearly that the bout should have been stopped earlier”. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/boxing/2016/03/27/nick-blackwell-rushed-to-hospital-after-fight-with-chris-eubank/ The referee Victor Loughlin should be banned from officiating at any boxing match in the future and Gary Lockett should be banned from controlling fighters in the ring at contests. This hideous injury was completely avoidable.

Comments (2)

deathofaclown

I disagree. I think we can all agree Blackwell took a lot of punishment over 10 rounds, that is obvious. But there wasn't many times where it was completely one sided. Eubank had his big moments but then they would end and they got back to boxing and Blackwell was holding his own in that respect. If there was nothing coming Blackwell then the ref should have stopped it, but that wasn't the case, he was still boxing well at times. That said, i think it was fairly obvious from round 7 or 8 that he was never going to win, but i think that's the corner of the fighter to decide and pull him out. The referee's job is to ensure safety but again, Blackwell was still fighting back at times. So right there, even though he's game, the cornermen should know he's not going to win and pull him out, not the ref. The corner should have pulled him out but again, they know he's tough and they thought Eubank was tiring. I'm surprised they didn't though, i've seen Lockett pull fighters out for less than that. That was surprising to me. I'm sure he will feel bad about nothing doing it but hindsight is a great thing

10y ago

Cody8804

I disagree. It's easy to blame people with hindsight. Blackwell was constantly fighting back. It's his corners job to stop the fight even more than the ref. His corner knows him and is invested in him and best interest. The crowd booed at the stoppage. It's easy to say they were insensitive with hindsight. But again, Blackwell was fighting back the whole time and the shots he was taking weren't of the very clean head snapping back variety. How many fights have been stopped early and a ref takes **** for it? Jacobs vs Quillen, Froch vs Groves one (some even say two also), you could make a massive list of fights that were stopped early and everyone hated the ref. It's a fine line and a ref can only do the best they can. I absolutely do not think this ref should lose his job, I'm sure he feels terrible. Btw he is the one who finally got the fight stopped by getting the doctor who could have examined Blackwell and stopped the fight three rounds before it happened.

10y ago