Just re-watched Lewis vs McCall I. - HBO has ALWAYS been crazily biased.

[raskat]

I just re-watched the upset Lennox Lewis vs Oliver McCall I: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBEe_NSN7IU#t=19m11s
and I just realised again how biased HBO was in the commentary of this fight. Lewis was clearly and fairly counted out after the knockdown, his legs were gone, he was wobbling all over the place. So- the referee did the right thing according to the rules. And what does HBO do? They talk 10 minutes about how the ref shouldn't have stopped the fight and they insinuate that Don King paid off the referee and all that crazy stuff.
How can ANYBODY in this world watch the ending of this fight and say the referee was "totally wrong" in stopping this fight?
HBO always had their agenda, whatever that agenda is in every particular case. But one thing is for sure: they never cared about the truth and they never will.

[Jack Napier]

they weren't being biased for Lewis or against McCall
they were bitching because they thought King fixed the fight
Tyson was still up the river at the time
King had been itching to get back into the HW title picture
people knew about the WBC pushing King's agenda in the past
and they rightly pointed out that Lewis stumbled into the ref

[crold1]

I just re-watched the upset Lennox Lewis vs Oliver McCall I: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBEe_NSN7IU#t=19m11s
and I just realised again how biased HBO was in the commentary of this fight. Lewis was clearly and fairly counted out after the knockdown, his legs were gone, he was wobbling all over the place. So- the referee did the right thing according to the rules. And what does HBO do? They talk 10 minutes about how the ref shouldn't have stopped the fight and they insinuate that Don King paid off the referee and all that crazy stuff.
How can ANYBODY in this world watch the ending of this fight and say the referee was "totally wrong" in stopping this fight?
HBO always had their agenda, whatever that agenda is in every particular case. But one thing is for sure: they never cared about the truth and they never will.

How could he be counted out when he was up around five? Ref didn't even finish the eight. The ref gave a quick hook and we've seen a TON of fights go on with guys more hurt than that (for instance, Wlad was allowed to get up a few times with Sanders; Grant was WAY more hurt and allowed to go on and eventually win against Golota). There was also a lot of behind the scenes politics floating around that fight in the context of Mike getting out of prison soon and King needing a belt to work with. It was what it was. Lewis might have got drilled again, but he should have been given better consideration than that.

HBO might have shown house fighter bias. That was still a pretty quick hook.

[raskat]

How could he be counted out when he was up around five? Ref didn't even finish the eight. The ref gave a quick hook and we've seen a TON of fights go on with guys more hurt than that (for instance, Wlad was allowed to get up a few times with Sanders; Grant was WAY more hurt and allowed to go on and eventually win against Golota). There was also a lot of behind the scenes politics floating around that fight in the context of Mike getting out of prison soon and King needing a belt to work with. It was what it was. Lewis might have got drilled again, but he should have been given better consideration than that.

HBO might have shown house fighter bias. That was still a pretty quick hook.

Lewis was out. Holding your hands up isnt enough to let the fight continue when you can't stand on your feet. And yes, I have also seen fights in which referees have let fighters continue in similar situations. But the bottom line is if you know ANYTHING about boxing, then you know the stoppage was just and right. Plain and simple.
Lewis didn't have his legs underneath him and that is more than enough to stop the fight.

[Earl-Hickey]

didnt matter in the end really, did it

[raskat]

they weren't being biased for Lewis or against McCall
they were bitching because they thought King fixed the fight
Tyson was still up the river at the time
King had been itching to get back into the HW title picture
people knew about the WBC pushing King's agenda in the past
and they rightly pointed out that Lewis stumbled into the ref

I have no problem with HBO taking a closer look at certain things that happen inside a ring. But you can't tell me this was an unjust stoppage. HBO should just focus on what is REALLY happening inside that ring instead of speculating all the time or making things look a certain way.
The stoppage was the right thing to do and the fact that HBO spent 10 minutes to talk about how ****** the stoppage was, is a joke to me.
If you can't tell the difference between a right and a wrong stoppage, then don't pretend to be a commentator.

[crold1]

Lewis was out. Holding your hands up isnt enough to let the fight continue when you can't stand on your feet. And yes, I have also seen fights in which referees have let fighters continue in similar situations. But the bottom line is if you know ANYTHING about boxing, then you know the stoppage was just and right. Plain and simple.
Lewis didn't have his legs underneath him and that is more than enough to stop the fight.

If you're looking to stop it. The ref has a mando eight to work with to take a look. Ref didn't. Stoppage ******. It was justifiable. Doesn't make it right.

[raskat]

If you're looking to stop it. The ref has a mando eight to work with to take a look. Ref didn't. Stoppage ******. It was justifiable. Doesn't make it right.

how did the stoppage suck if Lewis was falling right into the referee after he waved it off? Without the help of the ref, Lewis would have fallen down again AFTER the fight was stopped.

[yoz]

I always found HBO to be overly critical of Lewis.

[crold1]

how did the stoppage suck if Lewis was falling right into the referee after he waved it off? Without the help of the ref, Lewis would have fallen down again AFTER the fight was stopped.

He was collecting his balance. The referee didn't even take a hard look and he didn't use all the time available. If you liked the stop, cool. I never did. Criticizing it is hardly evidence of bias. It was a questionable stop and fighters have been hurt worse, in fights without a belt on the line, and allowed to go on (and many times win).

Like I said, he was rocked so it can be JUSTIFIED. It was still quick and politically convenient. I've seen it many times. Never liked it.