Worst British ref?

[mickey1975]

As the great Bobby Vanzie once said "That Terry O'Connor needs sorting out!", live on Sky just before punching a window in at York Hall. Bobby got fined...

[jonny]

All time - Mickey Vann ok I know this example wasn't reffing but this man scored Whitaker vs Chavez a draw ffs.

Mickey was a great ref but also had a fair few bad nights it's just that we forget about once they have left the scene. Paul Thomas another ref who used to get a fair bit of criticism. I honestly think the reffing standard is as good as as been over the years but nowadays there is more scrutiny what with boxing forums and social networking sites etc.

[handsofstone]

I like Victor Loughlin,i cant think of any bad refereeing oR judging decisions he,s made,

[lefty]

God it's the same people who say he stops it too early are now saying its too late!!!

Reffing isn't as easy as it looks. We've had some quality refs in Francis, o'connel & Davies,foster who rise above pressure.
Can fans imagine how it must feel placed inbetween two fighters were a single blow can damage somebody's health ?
Look at smith v buckland tonight . Unexpected but certainly not shocking In terms of what these fighters are capable off.
Happy for smith he had alot riding on this & is a true gent!
& has plenty to offer just like buckland still has imo

Well said. If it was that easy everyone would do it and no mistakes would be made.
If there's always controversy then that tells you how pressurised a situation reffing a pro show is.

That's an excuse though as there are good refs out there that dont constantly make massive errors/ being seen to be bias, etc.

This talk of bias, "MASSIVE" mistakes and ref's licenses being revoked. OConnor made no massive mistake.
He seperated them at the right times during the fight, let the fight flow for the three rounds and stopped the fight at the correct time in the fourth. This whole carrying Clev to the corner is a nonsense. He jumped in and laid hands on Clev, probably it would seem to stop the fight, but the bell rang as he did so so he turned Clev to the corner and instructed the official at ringside that the fight wasn't stopped. Clev was not staggering about or semi conscious during the minute rest in his corner. He was hurt and was trying to motivate himself. He stood up and was probably gonna try and survive for majority of the next round but Kovalev caught him again and finished him like a champ does. The ref saw Clev was game but in danger of being hurt again so stopped the fight.
Why are people looking for controversy when there was none. Clev's team aren't complaining, Kovalev's arent and the fans got to see a cracking fight finished safely and decisively with no distasteful questions of an early stoppage. A good fight on a great weekend of boxing.[/quote]

Ok serious question though, do you believe Kovalev would of been allowed to continue if he was in the same condition Nathan was at the end of the third? Cmon lets be honest, he wouldnt of! O'Connor would of jumped in at the first sign of Kovalev being in trouble. That's the issue.

[lefty]

I like Victor Loughlin,i cant think of any bad refereeing oR judging decisions he,s made,

Yeah I agree from what I can recall!

[Mimmy]

Mills Lane was a good ref wasn't he?

[handsofstone]

Mills Lane was a good ref wasn't he?

Yeah but in some of those celebrity death matches,he let the action go on for a bit long and a lot of people lost their lives as i recall :P

[Clint Magnum]

Ok serious question though, do you believe Kovalev would of been allowed to continue if he was in the same condition Nathan was at the end of the third? Cmon lets be honest, he wouldnt of! O'Connor would of jumped in at the first sign of Kovalev being in trouble. That's the issue.

There is absolutely no evidence to support that comment. Complete supposition and guesswork. So the ref is getting a hammering now for what he might have done as well as what he did?

[Dixonian]

Ok serious question though, do you believe Kovalev would of been allowed to continue if he was in the same condition Nathan was at the end of the third? Cmon lets be honest, he wouldnt of! O'Connor would of jumped in at the first sign of Kovalev being in trouble. That's the issue.

There is absolutely no evidence to support that comment. Complete supposition and guesswork. So the ref is getting a hammering now for what he might do as well as what he did?!

There does seem to be a general trend of this kind of thing happening.

[fasteddie]

Mills Lane was a good ref wasn't he?

mills lane was good but the tyson holyfield match he didnt have a clue what to do

[fasteddie]

to be fair o'connor was about to wave it off then when he heard the bell he must of thought "see whats he like next round after all he is the champion on home turf" can anyone remember steele in the chavez taylor fight?? now he had more off days than anyone i know especially in don kings fighters fights

[HitBattousai]

There is absolutely no evidence to support that comment. Complete supposition and guesswork. So the ref is getting a hammering now for what he might have done as well as what he did?

Take a look at Calzaghe vs Manfredo for your answer as to the evidence in question. Based on his history, it's very reasonable to think that Terry would have stopped Kovalev early had the positions been reversed.

[steve689]

I've heard it suggested that O'Connor is too fat to referee adequately at the moment and he needs to drop some timber. Fair or harsh?

[forcefraser]

I've heard it suggested that O'Connor is too fat to referee adequately at the moment and he needs to drop some timber. Fair or harsh?

I`d say harsh but fair. He needs to shed some bark.

I have watched the end of the 3rd round many times now and i have no doubt that O`Connor had stopped the fight as he stepped in with his arms waving. A split second afterwards the bell rang and he let it go by ushering Nathan back to his corner.

He even appears to say something to Warren after Cleverly sits down.

[Clint Magnum]

I've heard it suggested that O'Connor is too fat to referee adequately at the moment and he needs to drop some timber. Fair or harsh?

I`d say harsh but fair. He needs to shed some bark.

I have watched the end of the 3rd round many times now and i have no doubt that O`Connor had stopped the fight as he stepped in with his arms waving. A split second afterwards the bell rang and he let it go by ushering Nathan back to his corner.

He even appears to say something to Warren after Cleverly sits down.

And?
I agree that's what the ref did. But it's not illegal. It's allowed under ref discretion. He didn't jump in and save Clev with a minute to go, the round ended as he jumped in so he used a bit of common sense and discretion and gave Clev the minute's rest to see if he could get himself together. Hee came out for the 4th, clearly hadn't got himself together so the ref stopped it. Good fight, good stoppage.

[hurlock]

I'm not defending O'connor but how can people say he was signalling the fight off over the actuall round?
His weight is abit much & it's vital he gets there quicker & not look ponderous but then timing can counter that.
Reffing is alot harder then what fans think sitting from the comfort of there armchair I've seen some great little refs who can't pull or break fighters apart effectively should they not contest higher weights?? Not like the sport is spoilt for options.
People have to be realistic.

[rhino222]

Mark Green is POP (pile of pants)

[ThereByTheGrace]

O'Connor is a joke, Idiot John Lewis is also a joke, Mickey Vann is another p!sstake. The rest aren't as bad as those 3.

[Anzi]

The Cox/ Sai ref, totally biased, Promoters ref.

[spudder56]

John keane is a top ref IMO

[jonny]

John keane is a top ref IMO

Good ref and judge John Keene, seems to judge a lot of big fights in the states. Can see Terry O doing the haye fury fight myself.

[Clint Magnum]

O'Connor is a joke, Idiot John Lewis is also a joke, Mickey Vann is another p!sstake. The rest aren't as bad as those 3.

You ever reffed a pro fight yourself or just judged them all from the comfort of outside a ring ? You seem fairly knowledgable on the "poor" careers of so many refs.

[GreenLightning]

Ok serious question though, do you believe Kovalev would of been allowed to continue if he was in the same condition Nathan was at the end of the third? Cmon lets be honest, he wouldnt of! O'Connor would of jumped in at the first sign of Kovalev being in trouble. That's the issue.

There is absolutely no evidence to support that comment. Complete supposition and guesswork.

Mate we all saw Calzaghe/Manfredo, then Khan/Prescott

[GreenLightning]

I've heard it suggested that O'Connor is too fat to referee adequately at the moment and he needs to drop some timber. Fair or harsh?

I`d say harsh but fair. He needs to shed some bark.

I have watched the end of the 3rd round many times now and i have no doubt that O`Connor had stopped the fight as he stepped in with his arms waving. A split second afterwards the bell rang and he let it go by ushering Nathan back to his corner.

He even appears to say something to Warren after Cleverly sits down.

And?
I agree that's what the ref did. But it's not illegal. It's allowed under ref discretion. He didn't jump in and save Clev with a minute to go, the round ended as he jumped in so he used a bit of common sense and discretion and gave Clev the minute's rest to see if he could get himself together. Hee came out for the 4th, clearly hadn't got himself together so the ref stopped it. Good fight, good stoppage.

Then why did he stop Calzaghe/Manfredo after a nothing flurry, yet give Khan a fullcount when he was lying in a heap in the corner barely able to get back up?

mistakes are one thing, obvious blatant inconsistency to favour the hometown fighter is another

Bernard Dunne vs Kiko Martinez too, Dunne was absolutely out on his feet after the second knockdown, O'Connor had to gesture and shout "HANDS UP!" at least 5 times while Dunne stood in front of him nodding like a zombie, O'Connor let him continue, and take another pasting he shouldn't have had to take... Not a chance in hell would he have let Kiko go on if he was in the same position and unable to even put his hands up

[gasman]

Terry O'Connor has taken over the mantle from Dave Parris as Britian's worst referee - he is awful, ruins so many fights.

Best refs at moment are Richie Davis and Howard Foster.

Mickey Vann is a great loss to BBBoC, he should never have been retired, still an excellent ref.