Howard Foster...does he hate boxing?

[bigjack]

He used to post on here, Carl. He ended up threatening me. Can't remember how I upset him.

Always thought he came across a bit of a weapon. Thought he was a lot better than he actually was!

Oh come on, Mate. That's no way to talk about Mickey.

Terrible stoppage.

[Biglid]

I think he only trains for 6 rounds but he is still a great referee, I have no problem with this stoppage.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Controversial]

I imagine all refs have made decisions that aren't popular, Foster has been the ref in 1529 fights over 28 years so the law of averages will mean there will be some errors or unpopular decisions. Easy with the benefit of instant replays to look at it in leisure and pick holes in things, the refs are making split second decisions. The Groves stoppage against Froch was a bad one though!

[coneye]

iT IS A HARD JOB , oNE I COULD'NT DO, AND EVEN IF I COULD I WOULD'NT , theres always going to be critics of stoppages , especielly if its a fan favorite or someons got money on it , But one thing they should remember is its not ameteurs , who wants to see a young kid splattered all over the place trying to win a tea towel to macth the one he won the year before , So ameteurs fair enough

But profesionals is prize fighting , there is higher wages at stake , unbeaten records , belts that are worth money and the paying public who are not interested in a referees sensabilities , , so they have to allow it to go on UNTIL or UNLESS it looks like someone is gonna get hurt , the other night just proved that the referee in paticular once again is quick of the mark and perhaps too quick to stop them ,

It may be his age , i will admit when younger , if someone said to me , what would you do if you hurt someone seriosly in the ring , my answer would of been , chalk one up ,, but has i got older my answer is definetly , i would be devastated .

Has i get older i can see the more barbaric side of the pugilistic art , and don't think its worth risking life and limb , But facts are like i said theres peoples livelehoods and records at stake , and its a choice they make has adults , the rewards for the very few are extremly high , for the majority extremly low , but there future should'nt be completly in the hands of someone who forgets this and who's only thoughts are to save the boxer ,

He's a bit like a pilot who refuses to open the doors for a bunch of skydivers , because he thinks its dangerous to jump out of a plane , plainly speaking just should'nt be doing the job . some pull the trigger to late , and stop them too late , others too early , right or wrongy , the boxers deserve someone who has a record of getting it right , Not someone who takes the moral high ground , ,like i keep saying ITS PROFESIONAL PRIZE FIGHTING

[handsofstone]

Al Bernstein, one of the nicest people in boxing, left Howard without a name on Twitter last night, said he was the worst ref and judge he's seen in boxing

[Jimmy2020]

Let's get real for a minute, professional boxing is, first and foremost, about making money. The promoter's preferred outcome should be considered by the referees and judges IMO because if promoters don't make a profit, there won't be any professional boxing. In every jurisdiction I believe there is an objective bias rather than out and out corruption (yes there will be exceptions but they will be rare because the bias occurs organically anyway). Referees and judges should look to work towards helping the promoters achieve their objectives where possible - although if the matchmaker has done a good job and the fighter has prepared himself properly, this shouldn't be too difficult to do without anybody raising an eyebrow.

Also, the referees and judges that make the occasional howlers in the big fights are going to be the referees and judges that are refereeing and judging the big fights. That's a logical truth.

[forcefraser]

Foster has had some absolute shockers

[Coco]

The DDD and Warrington fights demonstrate there are different rules for home fighters

[Ruthless-RKO]

The DDD and Warrington fights demonstrate there are different rules for home fighters

I'm glad the video included them home decisions too.

The Dubois one was shocking. He stopped it just as the bell rang for the end of the round. Even the comms thought he was just signalling the end of the round.

Big Tel did the best thing for one of our own, when he carried Clev back to his corner against Kovalev

[forcefraser]

The DDD and Warrington fights demonstrate there are different rules for home fighters

The Warrington one was a shocker.

[forcefraser]

This has to be the worst ever

[forcefraser]

Classic Big Tel.

Krusher was awesome back then

[johninmanchester]

The promoter's preferred outcome should be considered by the referees and judges IMO because if promoters don't make a profit, there won't be any professional boxing. In every jurisdiction I believe there is an objective bias rather than out and out corruption (yes there will be exceptions but they will be rare because the bias occurs organically anyway). Referees and judges should look to work towards helping the promoters achieve their objectives where possible -

This is absolutely horrendous and an insane thing to say.

This definitely does happen, but by no means should it be endorsed or held up as the preferable state of affairs. You're not describing a sport, at this point. You're talking about scripted reality and edging towards full-contact WWE territory.

[Jimmy2025]

The promoter's preferred outcome should be considered by the referees and judges IMO because if promoters don't make a profit, there won't be any professional boxing. In every jurisdiction I believe there is an objective bias rather than out and out corruption (yes there will be exceptions but they will be rare because the bias occurs organically anyway). Referees and judges should look to work towards helping the promoters achieve their objectives where possible -

This is absolutely horrendous and an insane thing to say.

This definitely does happen, but by no means should it be endorsed or held up as the preferable state of affairs. You're not describing a sport, at this point. You're talking about scripted reality and edging towards full-contact WWE territory.

It's preferable if you are one of the people profiting or making a living from professional boxing, surely? I think we kid ourselves that prizefighting is supposed to be straight up when it's sole purpose is to separate us from as much of our money as possible over a period of time. It's fascinating how best it is to achieve that. The fights of a limited but charismatic banger on the rise being fed a bunch of stiffs to knockout in style are not rigged in the way a WWE squash job is but it's as good as, isn't it? A guy with a record of 2-54 getting paid £1500 to fight a local ticket seller doesn't need telling to take it easy and lose 40-36 when he wants to earn another £1500 next week, etc...

Why would judges give a close round to an away fighter, or score it 10-10, when giving it to the home fighter is better for the natural order? They don't need telling to do this or paying to do this, it's obviously the logical thing to do in a business that is about making money - except for when it isn't perhaps e.g. when a promoter has got to the end of the line with a lad on his books, a perceptive judge would see that too, I reckon.

P.S. for clarity, I'm not saying this is preferable for me. I'm essentially saying that I think that when the money comes out the truth shuts up. It's naïve to think professional sport is unadulterated or even to hope that it could be, sadly.

[lefthook82]

but still, this is even worse , from the king, possibly the worst stoppage ever

Ian John Lewis walks on water for me due to this horrific stoppage. This was my biggest ever bet and Enzo was not the washed fighter I was expecting.

[Coco]

but still, this is even worse , from the king, possibly the worst stoppage ever

Ian John Lewis walks on water for me due to this horrific stoppage. This was my biggest ever bet and Enzo was not the washed fighter I was expecting.

Yeah, but you never know what might have happened next

Better a 1000 early stoppages than one too late.....

[NazNaci1]

Classic Big Tel.

Krusher was awesome back then

He was indeed.

Tel with his home-cooking style. O'Connor was prone to a bit of that bias but you can't really blame him. He was getting paid by Fish Eyes, so better to keep the boss happy, know what I mean.

[forcefraser]

Classic Big Tel.

Krusher was awesome back then

He was indeed.

Tel with his home-cooking style. O'Connor was prone to a bit of that bias but you can't really blame him. He was getting paid by Fish Eyes, so better to keep the boss happy, know what I mean.

That beating changed Cleverely forever. As he stumbles back to his corner shellshocked you can almost see the word "levels" bouncing around his brain

[John]

It's almost impossible, without hindsight, to stop a fight at exactly the right moment. The referee is going to be either too soon or too late. Ask yourselves which of those two options you would rather.

[handsofstone]

It's almost impossible, without hindsight, to stop a fight at exactly the right moment. The referee is going to be either too soon or too late. Ask yourselves which of those two options you would rather.

That argument doesn't wash, I watch boxing from all over the world, how come 95% of premature stoppages are in a British ring involving the same 4/5 refs? If they're Class A refs then wtf is class B like??

[Coco]

It's almost impossible, without hindsight, to stop a fight at exactly the right moment. The referee is going to be either too soon or too late. Ask yourselves which of those two options you would rather.

That argument doesn't wash, I watch boxing from all over the world, how come 95% of premature stoppages are in a British ring involving the same 4/5 refs? If they're Class A refs then wtf is class B like??

And it's always in favour of the home fighter

[Ruthless-RKO]

It's almost impossible, without hindsight, to stop a fight at exactly the right moment. The referee is going to be either too soon or too late. Ask yourselves which of those two options you would rather.

That argument doesn't wash, I watch boxing from all over the world, how come 95% of premature stoppages are in a British ring involving the same 4/5 refs? If they're Class A refs then wtf is class B like??

I'd probably trust them more..

[handsofstone]

It's almost impossible, without hindsight, to stop a fight at exactly the right moment. The referee is going to be either too soon or too late. Ask yourselves which of those two options you would rather.

That argument doesn't wash, I watch boxing from all over the world, how come 95% of premature stoppages are in a British ring involving the same 4/5 refs? If they're Class A refs then wtf is class B like??

I'd probably trust them more..

Kevin McIntyre is a good ref and decent judge as well from what I've seen