Most irritating decision....

My fellow Badlefthookers, I feel it necessary to bring to your attention a conversation I had yesterday. Not for any momentous reason, in fact not for any good reason other than the fact you all like to talk boxing, and so do I.

The conversation I was having, with a good friend of mine, was about the boxing decision that rankles with us the most, even given a certain amount of time. We covered refereeing decisions, judging decisions, trainer's decisions, even fighters' decisions in certain circumstances, both in and out of the ring. An example of an "in the ring decision" would be Victor Ortiz's decision quit when the going got tough, an "out of the ring decision" would be Joe Calzaghe shamelessly and flagrantly ducking Glen Johnson, Ike Ibeabuchi's decision to go and kidnap someone, or even James Kirkland's decision to stick a gun in his glovebox.

In order to distinguish between them, I suppose it might be best to put them into those categories, and pick one (or more, since this is a discussion, not a dictatorship!!) from each list, with maybe THE most annoying one highlighted too.

I'll start (after the jump!!);

*Refereeing decision;* I have to mention Cortez in Hatton/Mayweather; made the decision that this was going to be a non-contact sport. This was annoying in the extreme. My #1, however, and I know Jrok will have my ass for this, but this is my genuine opinion; Richard Steele deciding to stop Meldrick Taylor with 4 seconds left in the fight (vs Julio Cesar Chavez) when he was on his feet, had beaten the count and there was no way he was taking any more punishment was a really annoying decision. The face and shape of boxing could have been irrevocably changed, and a man who could and should have been able to call himself World Champion fought on longer than he otherwise would have done in order to try to attone for his self-perceived 'failure'.

*Judging decision;* I know it was close, I know there have been bigger travesties, I know that the fight could have gone the other way. I KNOW. But Marvellous Marvin Hagler beat Sugar Ray Leonard, in my eyes. I've watched that fight about 40 times, and never have I once scored it for Leonard. When discussing the most annoying decisions ever made, I think the ones that had most effect on the boxing landscape for the foreseeable future after the fight are right up there for me, and things would have been completely different had we seen the decision go to Hagler. We wouldn't have seen the retirement of Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard would not be regarded as highly as he is, in all likelihood, and who knows how the middleweights would have panned out had it been the destructive, nasty, ferocious bastard Hagler, rather than Leonard, who sat at the top of the tree.

*Trainer's decision;* Eddie Futch deciding to pull Smokin Joe out against Ali. When considered alongside the fact that Ali had told Dundee to "cut em off", and Joe didn't speak to Futch for years after he made that call, I find it a travesty for Ali to still be given the rave reviews he gets. Ali quit. Frazier didn't. Futch was calling the ref over just as Ali's gloves were being cut. Had Futch waited 30 seconds more, it may well have been Frazier's name we were all brought up on, rather than Ali's. And if they had come out for the 15th (impossible, as Ali would have quit by then), the picture of a snarling, vicious Joe Frazier coming at him would have been too much for Ali, I believe. The face of boxing is changed by one man's decision to pull his fighter out, against his wishes. That rankles with me. In fact, it just plain pisses me off.

*Fighter's decision (in the ring);* Martin Rogan's recent decision to stop and wait for the ref to stop Sam Sexton must get a mention here. In all seriousness, what the hell was he thinking? It's not my number #1 though, as Clinton Woods really pissed me off by deciding not to even bother trying to punch Antonio Tarver in their fight. I mean, who wouldn't want to punch Antonio Tarver? The Clinton Woods gameplan;
Step 1. Follow opponent round ring with hands down, as he backs up and jabs.
Step 2. When within range of opponent, raise hands to guard face. Do not, under any circumstance, throw a punch at opponent.
Step 3. Wait until opponent has unloaded  a few shots, mainly onto your gloves, and has moved away, out of range.
Step 4. Repeat. Again and again, until people who are watching are screaming at the TV, and wanting to smash you in the face themselves.

*Fighter's decision (out of the ring);* Roy Jones Jr's mission to be this generation's C.B. Fry, and also to move up to heavy and down again so fast to fight Tarver is right up there. However, This is eclipsed by Lennox Lewis' decision not to train for the Rahman fight, and also by Joe Calzaghe's decision to wait until Jones and Hopkins, who would have both smashed him into oblivion 5/10 years earlier, were close to picking up their pensions before fighting either of them. Coward. All of thesepale into significance, however, when considered alongside Mr Kirkland's decision to carry a gun in his glove compartment, knowing full well that being caught would result in bad times for him, and immeasurabvle consequences for us, as boxing fans, and possibly on the sport itself. Kirkland could have been the REAL next Big Thing, and he potentially ruined it, for what?

I get the feeling I've missed a few really obvious ones, and even forgotten some that we discussed last night. I'm hoping some people on here will help put this right!! :)