Tyson Fury beats John McDermott via highly controversial decision
by Scott Christ on Sep 11, 2009 8:02 PM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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Much of the reaction to giant English heavyweight prospect Tyson Fury's decision win over John McDermott for the English title has been, well, furious. Referee Terry O'Connor is being roundly criticized for his 98-92 card that gave Fury the victory. You may remember O'Connor from the Calzaghe-Manfredo fight.
From Sporting Life:
The giant 21-year-old was awarded the bout 98-92 by referee Terry O'Connor, a verdict that left many at ringside stunned.
McDermott was certainly surprised by the outcome having believed he had been the better fighter throughout the gruelling 10-rounder.
...
Afterwards both fighters insisted they would be happy to have a re-match.
"I deserved it - I worked very hard for that," Fury told Sky Sports. "John McDermott was a lot harder than I thought he'd be, all credit to him.
"But I thought I worked the harder throughout the fight and I deserved to win. If he wants a re-match, let's get it on. I will stop him next time."
McDermott and his corner felt he was comfortably ahead and clearly deserved the victory, and his promoter Frank Maloney wasn't mincing words:
"Going into the last round my corner told me 'John, you're at least four rounds in front'. I thought the last round was level...I thought I nicked it," he said. "What have I got to do to win it? I'm a nice gentle guy, he's the one with the big mouth and I've been penalised for it. I'll have a re-match." His promoter, Frank Maloney, certainly pulled no punches in his appraisal of referee O'Connor's performance. "I'm sure I will be called up before the (British Boxing) Board for my behaviour but Terry O'Connor is a disgrace to British boxing for what he's done here tonight," he added. "Why do I want to be in the business when you're getting robbed? At least Dick Turpin has a mask on when he robs you." Further reaction from Ron Lewis:
Controversy seems to follow O'Connor around. There was his rather dubious handling of the first Danny Williams-Matt Skelton fight, the Joe Calzaghe-Peter Manfredo stoppage. It must be a tough to referee two big guys like that and score, but I have no idea how he came up with his scorecard.
Like most people I know, I thought Fury would win, and, like most, I thought McDermott did, although by not as big a margin as most people I spoke to. McDermott was just the cleaner puncher throughout, he was the smarter, landed the better shots and generally outworked Fury, who cuffed a bit much for me. Around the middle rounds, I thought he could stop Fury, but the big Mancunian came back well near the end - I gave him the last two rounds.
I have not seen the fight, but one friend of mine did, and his opinion (which I generally trust) was that the fight was closer, and that it was not the McDermott landslide some are making it out to be (which is echoed by Ron Lewis), but that McDermott did win, in his view.
Anyone catch the bout? Any thoughts?
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why is a referee judging a fight? or is this just an instance of silly brit-english
The Dude Abides
by battle axe of doom on Sep 11, 2009 8:08 PM EDT reply actions
It’s still quite common in the UK.
Bad Left Hook
"Well Howie, I think I'm going to stay outside and outjab him." -- Tex Cobb telling Howard Cosell how he would approach Larry Holmes
by Scott Christ on Sep 11, 2009 8:12 PM EDT up reply actions
It is mind numbingly retarded in my opinion…
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
it's pretty dumb
And they really should stop doing it. It’s not even a shot at the referees, it’s just that’s the wrong guy to score a fight. Half the time they don’t even know where the hell a cut came from.
Bad Left Hook
"Well Howie, I think I'm going to stay outside and outjab him." -- Tex Cobb telling Howard Cosell how he would approach Larry Holmes
by Scott Christ on Sep 11, 2009 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions
It's tradition
And traditions, even obviously flawed ones like this, take an awful lot of shifting. It just keeps going through sheer inertia – nobody can be bothered enough to kick up the sustained fuss needed to change things.
But it is dumb, and they really should stop doing it
I think it’s just in British regional title fights. Or, at least, that the only time its mandated. Brock would probably know the actual rule.
"This fight'll be the nastiest thing you'll ever see. I been sober for six weeks, and that makes me vicious."
-- Randall 'Tex' Cobb
Well
Don’t know about that jrok, but it is only up to the regional title level. You would have thought it would be only non title fights. It’s a quaint way of doing it, Brits like to hang on to stuff like that and be individual. Maybe to save the money. Paulie should thank the Lord he wasn’t born a Brit….
Anyway, there’s been way worse here and the remedy is ‘rematch’ so hopefully they do it again.
We're all given some sort of skill in life. Mine just happens to be beating up on people. (Sugar Ray Leonard)
by BrianBrock on Sep 12, 2009 1:57 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Tyson Fury is awfully green still
I think perhaps his mouth and his hype helped him to get pushed too far this soon into his career.
Another way of putting it would also be that this sort of thing goes on all the time all over the world when you get a favoured prospect vs a journeyman. It just so happens that this one had an unusual amount of exposure, due to Fury’s slightly unwarranted high profile
I would agree that it was very close
The sky announcers were really leaning towards Mcdemott and i think that may have influenced some peoples opinions. They gave him 1 or 2 rounds i certainly wouldnt have, and portrayed that he was really overwhelming Fury. I think Mcdermott probably should have gotten the nod, but his style is easy to score against. Hes very awkward to watch, and I could have understood some of the close rounds going to Fury because he was the one trying to make something happen. Regardless the wide scorecard the referee handed in was outrageous.
Also, I imagine Fury learned a lot about what it takes to dig deep and go the full 10 rounds. It was definitely a good learning experience for him even if it was a bit rockier than was expected.
I thought...
Mcdermott got it by 2, the commentators were nearly as bad as terry o connor – a ref I personally hate, they gave mcdermott anything they could.
Good scrap though, fury did well to go 10 for the first time and he won the last few rounds too.
Feel sorry for the big lad, he worked hard.
"Chris Eubank lost his recent comeback fight on points ... the main one being that he's a total git."
I thought McDermott clearly won
Every round was competitive, but McDermott was consistently carrying the fight and landing the cleaner harder punches. I had him winning 7-3.
8-2 for Fury is Gale Van Hoy territory.
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