3 PBC Fights, 3 Questionable Stoppages

[HanzGruber]

read the posts above your's, don't really have anything else to add.

him winning the fight up to hat point has nothing to do with him taking flush shots and no throwing anything back vs the hardest puncher

[LoadedWraps]

Watching last night's PBC fights, I couldn't help but notice how poor the refereeing was last night. I haven't been following boxing too closely for the last 6-8 months so maybe this is the norm nowadays. Here's my take:

Breazeale-Ugonoh - great heavweight scrap between two lower tiered fighters. Dom Breazeale is not the most agile, mobile and skilled fighter but he has always shown his grit, toughness and heart - he doesn't quit, and I like that about him. This is the first time i've seen Izu Ugonoh and he's a solid prospect that has a nice jab and throws good combinations and body punching.

This fight was great; it was back and forth HW action with big punches being landed and some good knockdowns. However, as Breazeale knocked Izu down the second time in the 5th round, the referee automatically waived the fight off without even assessing his condition. Watching the fight in real time, Izu look like he was OK and able to get up. However the ref never gain him the chance.

Hurd-Harrison - This was a good competitive fight where Harrison appeared to be winning the early-to-mid rounds based on his output and accurate punching. Credit to Hurd for making some adjustments and finding a way to land his much harder shots. He turned around the momentum of the fight, started walking Harrison down and pressing for the knockout.

Also, in this fight i thought the ref did a poor job. After being knocked down, Harrison beat the count, responded to the refs questions and looked able to fight on. Harrison then unintentionally or intentionally spit his mouth piece out to the consternation of the ref and the fight was called off. Why was this? Harrison should have been docked a point but not TKO'd.

Wilder-Washington - I've been a fan and apologist of Wilder's since he went pro but last night Deontay looked really awful. He was overly tentative and cautious and his punches looked constricted (maybe due to his muscular physique). Washington looked decent, to my surprise, but not any spectacular and there was never any doubt that Wilder would get his man outa there.

Of the 3 fights, this was the worse stoppage by far. Washington was buzzed but at no point was he helpless or defenseless. Given that this was a title fight, Washington should have been allowed to fight on and survive the round. It was a total overreaction to stop this fight at that point.

Thoughts/opinions? Am I totally off the mark or just in my criticism?

I agree with you completely. There's just been too many poor/early stoppages in the sport altogether.

My take on stoppages is like with football - at some point you have to stop thinking safety first and remember that these are grown men who made a concious decision to make a living as an athlete in a contact sport/combat sport. LET THE MEN FIGHT!

[1hourRun]

I'm reading ' I cant. '

[The Big Dunn]

I had no problem with the first 2 stoppages and thought the ref did the right thing.

I felt the Wilder stoppage was bad. Too early and felt to me like ref was told to stop it if Washington was even slightly hurt.

[original zero]

I felt the Wilder stoppage was bad. Too early and felt to me like ref was told to stop it if Washington was even slightly hurt.

You are a ****ing idiot.

Watch this video: https://twitter.com/IM0Sports/status/835720074719870976

It clearly shows that Washington was completely out on his feet, could not stand under his own power, and the ropes were the only thing that stopped him from falling out of the ring and seriously injuring himself.

You honestly should be banned for being so ****ing ******.

[Piper the Great]

I think bc it's on regular tv

[downklown]

LOL, **** off, seriously **** off. Just think, one moment, throughout boxing history the number of fighters who were staggered but regained control and had success and won their fights or were very competitive?

It's part of boxing, a fighter gets knocked down, gets staggered - but you give the fighter the benefit of doubt and allow them to clinch, fight back, survive and to regain control. Watch some of Evander Holyfield's fights back in the 90s. He was always getting staggered and looked unsteady. He was able to comeback and win a lot of those fights.

Dude, Washington & his trainer had no problems with the stoppage. The fight was clearly over.
Oh and LOL at you using Holyfield as a example since he was commentating last night & we could barley understand what he was saying. Maybe the ref's SHOULD HAVE stopped those fights that he was staggered in.

[Kigali]

I had no problem with the first 2 stoppages and thought the ref did the right thing.

I felt the Wilder stoppage was bad. Too early and felt to me like ref was told to stop it if Washington was even slightly hurt.

You know that's not what happened but you typed it any way.

[b00g13man]

I had doubts about the Wilder one in real-time. In hindsight, it was a good stoppage.

[Kigali]

I had doubts about the Wilder one in real-time. In hindsight, it was a good stoppage.

Dude was wandering around the ring.

No need to let him take another shot in that condition.