The official Cleverly v Bellew in play discussion thread

[Sklar]

Howard doesn't deserve any slack this time. That was a shocking stoppage. Worse than the Groves one.

[rossij8]

The TV / Radio Schedule was getting behind

Great punch though

[dookus]

And Foster was begging the doctors to stop the previous fight when the Japanese fighter was not badly cut. I wonder.

[lefty]

Periban has always shown a really solid chin so that was impressive.

[robster]

When will someone tell John McDonald, MBE doesn't mean Member of the British Empire?

He hasn't said it does, has he?

Member or the...British Empire is the commonly accepted shortening of Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, though.

He says it every time he introduces an MBE... "He is, a member of the British Empire, etc etc"

[crusader]

His stoppage of Degale-Dilks was horrible too. Keep him away from Chunky's fights...

[Finn]

That was a bullshit stoppage. Great work from regale but that was boarder line corrupt. Periban was getting up seconds after being dropped and it was still called off.

[stujones]

Foster was poised to stop thet without a count there. Fuckun joke.

Yeah, Foster was seeming to be approaching to stop the fight BEFORE the second punch that put him down.

[lefty]

What's degale saying in the interview? Got the sound off.

[chiggsy]

Absolutely terrible from foster didn't even give him a chance.

Needs his licence revoking.

[Boxerbeetle]

So not a single upset tonight so far...fvcking incredible

[rhino222]

how many ko's has howard foster got?...lol

[jameswilson]

What's degale saying in the interview? Got the sound off.

Praised the referee.....

[crusader]

He went to stop it before even counting........wtf

[tobyh5]

How can you stop it like that, caught and hurt and dropped which happens all the bloody time. Guys have looked like they were shot when they touched down, taken the 8 count, got up, recovered and won but that was not even that bad and the ref took no time to look at the reaction. He saw him caught and going down and did not even look at him and see anything.

They have a count to see how someone recovers. Give him the fckng count and lets see how he is at the count and time of re-engaging.

Terrible. Watt is a fcking idiot too, talks utter bollox.

Not Degales fault

[johnswan1]

Did Foster have orders to stop the fight asap in order to move the show along? It's getting late...

[crusader]

How can you stop it like that, caught and hurt and dropped which happens all the bloody time. Guys have looked like they were shot when they touched down but that was not even that bad and the ref took no time to look at the reaction. He saw him caught and going down and did not even look at him and see anything.

They have a count to see how someone recovers. Give him the fckng count and lets see how he is at the count and time of re-engaging.

Terrible. Watt is a fcking idiot too, talks utter bollox.

Not Degales fault

I agree.

Love was in more trouble against Periban and he came back to dominate the fight.

[Tarkus]

What's degale saying in the interview? Got the sound off.

He said I dont disrespect Froch when I say he is a coward and I fcked his misses.

[lefty]

What's degale saying in the interview? Got the sound off.

Praised the referee.....

Lol. In all seriousness, was the incident with groves brought up?

[Bard of Boxrec]

Horrible stoppage. How do you not give a count there? Give the guy a fornicating count. Horrible, basic error. Do your job properly. Give him a count. Ask him to walk to you. Wipe the gloves. Referee 101. Howard foster should be ashamed

[jameswilson]

He went to stop it before even counting........wtf

He did stop it I thought. He waved when Periban was on the floor.

[handsofstone]

I hope Degale doesnt get the stick Froch got for Foster's incompetence

[dookus]

I suspect Foster. There have been more than a few instances lately where he has clearly been looking to stop fights wayyy earlier than seems reasonable.

[jameswilson]

What's degale saying in the interview? Got the sound off.

Praised the referee.....

Lol. In all seriousness, was the incident with groves brought up?

No just asked if he was going to watch the Groves fight.

[Neil Gee]

eff ME

Periban aint complaining, but I only think you should wave these things off when the guy is knocked clean out.

I'm unhappy with it, a guy who had never been stopped should have been given a chance to recover, and the ref stopped it moments after the second big punch landed, as Periban was going down. Maybe P would have been badly hurt if it carried on and the ref has to live with that. It feels premature but the ref is only human.