That was a GOOD STOPPAGE!!!

[mrpain81]

On that basis they should've stopped the first Pavlik vs Taylor fight in the 2nd round.

That was NOT a good stoppage even though Lee could've been put out in the next 5 seconds.

Lee was up on the cards, still on his feet, throwing punches back.
He did seem like he was out on his feet but he landed a punch, flush on Vera's chin.

I guess I have a more 'old school' mentality regarding referee stoppages but I don't think the referee did a good job even if Lee and Steward said they are OK with it. It's just not right to stop it like that.

I think Pavlik was hurt then stayed in the trenches and kept throwing punches the whole way thru, plus he wasn't out on his feet like Lee was. Sure people are going to say Andy had just thrown two combinations but before that he went about a minute without a punch thrown. I actually felt something special could happen when he started to throw but I guess it was too little to late, the last combo didn't even land clean and Vera was laughing at those punches.

[STEELHEAD]

dang...teddy predicted katsidis over casamayor

[daggum]

if anyones seen feliciano-delvin rodriguez this was a replica of that fight with rodriguez dominating every round till feliciano came on and stopped him

[STEELHEAD]

better to have a loss this early in carrer (15-1 12ko)
and learn.

[TheGreatA]

I think Pavlik was hurt then stayed in the trenches and kept throwing punches the whole way thru, plus he wasn't out on his feet like Lee was. Sure people are going to say Andy had just thrown two combinations but before that he went about a minute without a punch thrown. I actually felt something special could happen when he started to throw but I guess it was too little to late, the last combo didn't even land clean and Vera was laughing at those punches.

I agree that Vera was on his way to a stoppage, he was simply too tough but it's just wrong to stop a fight when the fighter has just landed a punch.

I consider punching back defending yourself, that's what boxers like Gatti used to do.

Like Njord777 said, the referee should've stopped the fight when Lee was on the ropes taking a beating for a minute or two or after he had landed that little flurry of punches (if Vera had gone right back to work) but not during it.

[Kball15]

one loss is nothing.
david haye has 1 and look how big he's getting.
lee will just get better, and hopefully he'll learn from his loss.

This loss means absolutely nothing, i agree. Especially when he showed he could dominate Vera when he stuck to the gameplan.

Just got dragged into the wrong fight

[mrpain81]

I agree that Vera was on his way to a stoppage, he was simply too tough but it's just wrong to stop a fight when the fighter has just landed a punch.

I consider punching back defending yourself, that's what boxers like Gatti used to do.

Like Njord777 said, the referee should've stopped the fight when Lee was on the ropes taking a beating for a minute or two or after he had landed that little flurry of punches (if Vera had gone right back to work) but not during it.

It left a bad taste in our mouth thats for sure.

[sonofisis]

C'mon guys, Lee was practically out on his feet. He was throwing back, but he was gone. You dont recover from a round like that, where u take a beating for 2 minutes. And there was still about 45 seconds left, he was wobbly, he was gonna get hurt. u have to stop that fight. Wasn't a pleasing stoppage because he did throw back, but he was out of it.

Lee has a ton of heart though. Vera too. And they put on a hell of a show. A freakin war, that was a terrific fight, reminded me a lot of Bika-Codrington.

And, i would like to point out (and u can go back to one of the first LEE-VERA on ESPN2 threads to confirm this) that i predicted this upset here tonight so if one of you guys wants to send over some kind of medal or something...

Word... The guy was seriously out on his feet, it shouldn't even be in dispute.

[Njord777]

Practically out on your feet isn't out on your feet. The referee could have stopped it earlier in the round; no problem. He could have stopped it if Lee's rally failed- but at the moment the fight was stopped Andy Lee was throwing a punch. You don't stop a fight while a fighter is fighting back.

[!! Shawn]

i dont not like Lee, i think he's exciting, i just thought all along that he was overhyped and Stewards statements about him beating Pavlik were pretty frustrating.

But like i said right above, i agree with what all you guys are saying and stuff, but it was Justified IMO. If you'll watch again about 10-15 seconds before the stoppage Lee trys to go back to boxing and while he is stepping backwards his legs buckle on their own.

Thats when things get dangerous in there. Could the ref have let the fight go on for a few more seconds and see what happened??? Yea, but would have been worth it? thats the question u gotta ask urself. It might have been a big mistake to let Lee eat 1 or 2 more big shots.

I personally would have stopped the fight as soon as Lee tried to box and his leg buckled.

The last fighter that I saw that happen too was Victor Burgos against Vic Darchinyan, and he ended up in a Coma.