What Are The 3 Worst Decisions You Have Ever Seen?

[BRITISH LlON]

1. Pacquiao vs. Bradley

2. Povetkin vs. Huck

3. Chisora vs. Helenius

Povetkin vs Huck wasnt a robbery. I scored the fight for Povetkin by 1 point. if you have it for Huck by 1 point, I cant really complain although I thought Povetkin won this close fight. but no way was this one of the biggest robberies.
wasnt a robbery at all.

[BRITISH LlON]

How about Whitaker-Chavez or Paul Williams-Erislandy Lara? I guess I'd throw in Holmes-Spinks. I thought Holmes even edged out Spinks in the first fight, plus I've heard in a close fight judges usually give it to the champion, but I guess they didn't because Holmes was too outspoken at the time? Either way, he definitely should've got the decision in the second fight, so I'll say Holmes-Spinks 2 for my third pick.

I'd also throw in Foreman-Briggs. No way Briggs should've won that. The even worse part was that made Briggs the lineal heavyweight champion.

I strongly disagree my friend. I scored the 2nd Holmes vs Spinks fight for Spinks. I remember the fight as if I watched it yesterday: Holmes clearly won the first 5 rounds and after the 5th, he lost every single round except 1 or maybe 2. So I have it either 9 rounds to 6 for Spinks or 8 rounds to 7 for Spinks. I would like to know which rounds after the 5th you gave to Holmes cause Holmes lost all of them (except 1 or maybe 2 at best)

[Scott9945]

I’m mentioning these fights not so much as horrible decisions in themselves, but because they were bad decisions on very high stakes, that might have made some historical ripples.

I remember being shocked at Ali being declared the winner after his fight with Jimmy Young in 1976. Ali being declared the winner over Norton later the same year was also bad (so bad, in fact, a riot ensued of such magnitude that the Yankee Stadium was recked; this holly temple of boxing stopped presenting any fight card for decades up until what? recently), but I felt then, it wasn’t yet as bad; I personally had it a draw (and a panel of experts later on, on national tv, including an old but still clear minded Joe Louis, also had Norton-Ali a draw). If Jimmy Young had been awarded the decision against Ali, as he should have been, he would have become the unified heavyweight champ (WBA and WBC), the close decision in his fight with Norton the next year could have gone his way and we would have seen him one more year later, in 78, fight Holmes in a better frame of mind, instead of seeing him loose to Ossie Occasio.
I think the first Walcott-Louis (1947) fight had a terrible decision. Louis was so disgusted with his performance he tried to leave the ring before it was announced in his own favour… Would have Louis “retired” then, instead of waiting one more fight? Probably not, but who knows! And when would have the rematch take place? Would he have given Louis an immediate rematch? My thought is, it could one way or the other have somewhat impacted the career of both Ezzard Charles and Rocky Marciano as champions…

Don’t get me wrong: I know perfectly how incredibly hypothetical this all is; but we’re talking to think, here, we’re talking for fun. I throw these in the air just as food for thoughts.
These two decisions were of course the result of the legend status of both Louis and Ali at this stage of their career. We like to forgive such lack of judgement from the officials because of that, and it’s understandable. I think you can put in the same category the decision of Lewis-Holyfield 1, the Real Deal being such a respected figure in 99.

A third decision which was not bad in itself but rather a debatable measure taken by a referee from which history could have been different, is those 3 points deducted from Henry Armstrong in his fight for the middleweight title against Ceferino Garcia in 1940. Imagine: Armstrong was already the featherweight, the lightweight and the welterweight champion. The fight with Garcia was declared a draw. Without these point deductions, Armstrong would also have become AT THE SAME TIME, the middleweight champion of the world.

These are my two cents for now. I haven’t thought enough about which decision was so outraging and such a disaster in itself to take place in an all time list of the worst. I might be back later for an opinion on that precisely. But you guys have all thrown in some good ones…

Good comments, but I sure don't remember any riot that wrecked Yankee Stadium after Ali-Norton. The biggest problem with that event was (due to poor security because of an NYPD strike) thugs robbing people in the parking lot.

[The Big Dunn]

WHitaker -Ramirez 1
Hagler-Antefurmo 1
SRL-Hearns 2

[Xyei]

It's hard to sort through them. At the moment I'll go with these:

1. Christy Martin against Belinda Lauraquente (sp?)
2. Glen Johnson-Daniel Judah
3. Casamayor's gift versus that one guy

Santa Cruz... Yeah, that one was bad.

Dale Brown got robbed against O'Neil Bell, IMO. I was so shocked and pissed after that decision was announced.

[IronDanHamza]

Out of all the robberies I've witnessed, and I've seen many, the Rios-Abril fight is definitely up there with one of the worst robberies I've seen.

It's hard to give Rios a single round in my opinion.

I can even give Pastrano a round or two against Johnson and even Ramirez and Chavez a round or two against Whitaker. If I'm generous.

But I really struggle to give Rios any of the rounds against Abril. He was just so clearly dominated.

[BRITISH LlON]

Out of all the robberies I've witnessed, and I've seen many, the Rios-Abril fight is definitely up there with one of the worst robberies I've seen.

It's hard to give Rios a single round in my opinion.

I can even give Pastrano a round or two against Johnson and even Ramirez and Chavez a round or two against Whitaker. If I'm generous.

But I really struggle to give Rios any of the rounds against Abril. He was just so clearly dominated.

Rios clearly won 3 of the early rounds, not more. But he won those 3 very clearly, u can even give him a 4th if you want

[Bushbaby]

Funeka-Guzman 1 deserves a mention.

Also Juarez-Barrera 1 may be the worst I've seen considering Juarez left the ring with a draw only to be greeted by a loss as he entered his dressing room.

[danthepoetman]

Good comments, but I sure don't remember any riot that wrecked Yankee Stadium after Ali-Norton. The biggest problem with that event was (due to poor security because of an NYPD strike) thugs robbing people in the parking lot.

Thanks for the correction, Scott. If you were there, obviously you know. I guess I exaggerated the reports of damages and with time slipping, I amplified things a bit. But what I remember most about Ali-Norton 3, was how much of an outcry there was afterward. For some reason, the decision, even worse, for Young-Ali, didn’t create as much of scandal. I suppose people felt Norton should at last have his moment…
This being said, it still is after that fight that the Yankee Stadium stopped presenting boxing, correct me if I’m wrong. Whatever the reason, it was a big loss for the sport.

[IronDanHamza]

Rios clearly won 3 of the early rounds, not more. But he won those 3 very clearly, u can even give him a 4th if you want

Rios didn't clearly win any rounds.

I certainly didn't give him 3 of the first 4.