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

[Sin City]

Cus Taylor was out on his feet and didn't respond to his call..

[Vasyl’s dad]

Great...the topic has devolved into this. I think Steele made a bad call, you don't, that's about all I got for you. I don't think this is going to go anywhere constructive....so toodles.

Toodles nothing, you're blatantly refusing to answer my question.

You would really send a fighter back out after you asked him if he was ok and he didn't respond?

Thats what it boils down to.

[Vasyl’s dad]

all Taylor had to do was answer Steele. I simply cannot understand that controversy to this day.

As one poster already said, "I lost money".

Thats the controversy.

Taylor says hes ok or even acknowledges Steeles presence, he wins.

[mcentepede]

That was a controversial call, not the fight cuz it was a fantastic fight. Steele got paid off simply put. Even me grandmother was watching the fight with me back then and jumped up and shouted "Why did they stop the fight?". Seems to me that this was in his mind all fight long, to stop it prematurely if Taylor was rocked once. Taylor took some good shots there, but he's a pro and it comes with the territory, Steele knew this. He was paid off IMO. Chavez was a bull though, a great fighter. Mexicans try to follow in this guy's footsteps...a good thing. Mexican fighters are the most exciting right now to watch,

[oldgringo]

Toodles nothing, you're blatantly refusing to answer my question.

You would really send a fighter back out after you asked him if he was ok and he didn't respond?

Thats what it boils down to.

In Steele's position, I don't feel the brief questions and a distracted Taylor warranted a stoppage. I would have done more, or I would have done differently to check the fighters ability to finish the fight, especially considering the circumstances.

What it boils down to is whether or not Steele correctly stopped the fight. I don't see the point of you asking me what I'd do, because it's easy to deduce that I'd do something quite different from this prolonged banter we've engaged in.

I don't feel Richard used his best judgment that night.

[boxing_great]

man, FFS, this stoppage was fair. PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
Taylor never responded to Steele's questions. therefore he can't continue.

[Scott9945]

You'd be a horrible ref then because I have never seen a ref ask a fighter if hes ok without a response back and send him back out. The job of the ref is the fighters safety first and foremost.

That was the same ref who sent a badly wobbling Tommy Hearns out to be demolished by Iran Barkley with barely a nod. Double standard much?

[Scott9945]

I would send a fighter back out, a proud champion like Taylor, in the 12th round of a fight so that he could decide his own fate, especially considering he rose to his feet before I could count "8" and he wasn't struggling to stay upright.

Taylor had accrued a lot of damage, so I'd come to the conclusion that he was reasonably able to continue the fight if he were on his feet and wasn't wobbling, or slumped over, or struggling to stay upright. Mel wasn't vacant, he just didn't verbally answer Steele.

Steele could have just as easily rubbed the gloves off and sent Mel back out there. He didn't. I didn't agree with his decision to stop the fight.

Well said sir.

[Vasyl’s dad]

In Steele's position, I don't feel the brief questions and a distracted Taylor warranted a stoppage. I would have done more, or I would have done differently to check the fighters ability to finish the fight, especially considering the circumstances.

What it boils down to is whether or not Steele correctly stopped the fight. I don't see the point of you asking me what I'd do, because it's easy to deduce that I'd do something quite different from this prolonged banter we've engaged in.

I don't feel Richard used his best judgment that night.

Like I said, if you're a ref, and you ask a fighter who has just taken punishment for12 rounds, fell on his own punch, etc etc., ask him if he is ok 2 times and he doesn't respond, and you send him out again, you're a horrible ****ing ref with all due respect.

[Vasyl’s dad]

That was the same ref who sent a badly wobbling Tommy Hearns out to be demolished by Iran Barkley with barely a nod. Double standard much?

Can't comment on a fight I haven't seen. But if you say there was "barely a nod", acknowledgment of a ref was given even if it was barely. In Taylors case there wasn't any.

Lose money much?