Robert Smith must resign

[Cholo_cws]

Early the morning after isn't really a time to expect all answers but he handled it very badly. By defending the judges in the way he has Smith would seem to be endorsing all previous scorecards of O'Connor - including for Fury-McDermott I - simply because refs/judges are closer to the action. Why did the BBBofC order a rematch then?
I imagine the 'boxing family' fraternity, which includes many journalists in my view, will defend or gloss over what's happened.

[handsofstone]

Is Britain the only country where officials are both judges and refs?

Also refs shouldn't be scoring fights while reffing, that needs binned, I've no real problem with one scoring judge but he should be outside watching, how are you supposed to score a fight whilst constantly dragging 2 guys apart in a scrappy affair?

[Horse]

One of the main reasons I stopped watching boxing.

Talentless twat.

[THEBUTCH]

I think Smith does a good job running the Board. I think he said in his interview with Tris Dixon he doesn't get as much time as he would like to change the sport, but I still think he's the right man for the job.

He does come over defensive in interviews sometimes, but I'm not surprised when Sky and social media get hysterical over situations that are not controversial, but maybe debatable or close.

For a judge not to be watching a fight is completely unacceptable and quite rightly should be dealt with.

Overall Smith and the board do a good job and IMO are up there with the best of them.

Some of the posts and comments, not just on this thread, have been out of order IMO.

[Horse]

I think Smith does a good job running the Board. I think he said in his interview with Tris Dixon he doesn't get as much time as he would like to change the sport, but I still think he's the right man for the job.

He does come over defensive in interviews sometimes, but I'm not surprised when Sky and social media get hysterical over situations that are not controversial, but maybe debatable or close.

For a judge not to be watching a fight is completely unacceptable and quite rightly should be dealt with.

Overall Smith and the board do a good job and IMO are up there with the best of them.

Some of the posts and comments, not just on this thread, have been out of order IMO.

You are out of order.

You are fooling no one.

[Frostieballs]

I think Smith does a good job running the Board. I think he said in his interview with Tris Dixon he doesn't get as much time as he would like to change the sport, but I still think he's the right man for the job.

He does come over defensive in interviews sometimes, but I'm not surprised when Sky and social media get hysterical over situations that are not controversial, but maybe debatable or close.

For a judge not to be watching a fight is completely unacceptable and quite rightly should be dealt with.

Overall Smith and the board do a good job and IMO are up there with the best of them.

Some of the posts and comments, not just on this thread, have been out of order IMO.

You are out of order.

You are fooling no one.

I’m not sure the ‘hasn’t had the time’ thing washes. Have been very few shows in the last 6 months and there are no new innovations coming.

[handsofstone]

Terry and IJL need to go for a start, what i will say is that some of these foreign judges who come over here for international fights are equally as bad but at least start with getting rid of our own deadwood first

[margaret thatcher]

I think Smith does a good job running the Board. I think he said in his interview with Tris Dixon he doesn't get as much time as he would like to change the sport, but I still think he's the right man for the job.

He does come over defensive in interviews sometimes, but I'm not surprised when Sky and social media get hysterical over situations that are not controversial, but maybe debatable or close.

For a judge not to be watching a fight is completely unacceptable and quite rightly should be dealt with.

Overall Smith and the board do a good job and IMO are up there with the best of them.

Some of the posts and comments, not just on this thread, have been out of order IMO.

What have Smith and the board done with regard to poor officiating, and why do the same culprits get appointed endlessly? What are the good measures they've taken in this regard? it would seem to me absolute f@ck all is done tbh

tbf that's about the same as most other comissions in the world it seems, total sh!teshow when it comes to accountablility and performance standards of judges and refs

[Flump]

Sorry i dont like to call people out like this but on his watch thr UK has become the worst country in the world for judging, the same culprits year after year ruining careers without being held accountable, Terry O'Connor and Ian John Lewis are the worst 2 but Michael Alexander hardly blameless last night, Victor Loughlin has plummeted as a judge when he used to be one of the better ones, Steve Gray another one who likes to home cook, its disgusting and has to stop now, Smith isn't cut out for it and going by his IFL interview today he isn't interested in pulling his pals up on it, intact he blames social media and says the judges have best seat in the house etc, sorry to be harsh but I love this sport and the buck stops with Robert Smith

Sorry I dont know how to post links but everyone needs listen to his ifl interview from today, doesn't seem like Smith has any intention of doing anything productive, quit please your to blame

Aleaxander and Gray gave Warrington the hometown decision over Galahad. Galahad's manager expressed his concerns before the fight.

That decision was debateable, the one at the weekend was clear as day. Though I accept Alexander is a big fan of Warrington, noticeable when he was trying to influence the doctor to stop the Selby fight so they would go to the scorecards when Warrington was doing well.

[Wee Tommy]

I think Smith does a good job running the Board. I think he said in his interview with Tris Dixon he doesn't get as much time as he would like to change the sport, but I still think he's the right man for the job.

He does come over defensive in interviews sometimes, but I'm not surprised when Sky and social media get hysterical over situations that are not controversial, but maybe debatable or close.

For a judge not to be watching a fight is completely unacceptable and quite rightly should be dealt with.

Overall Smith and the board do a good job and IMO are up there with the best of them.

Some of the posts and comments, not just on this thread, have been out of order IMO.

Hello Terry.

[veriton]

Since it's clear that O'Çonnor was only looking at his scorecard, then Smith's response was totally correct. Surprised he even allowed himself to be interviewed, that's a bit of naivety on his part.

[margaret thatcher]

Should be honest and open and transparent, and not considered naive to speak to the public about poor judging

[Lightsoot]

Calling for Smith to resign because he hasn't sacked O'Connor on the spot is extreme. Let's see what Smith does - I doubt he'll sack him and will possibly suspend O'Connor for a period, or demote him so he can only judge small hall related fights (which isn't fair on them either!). Much will hinge on whether O'Connor was glancing at his phone, or his scorecards? If the former, he's done for, if the latter he'll likely be issued with a firm rebuke.

Smith is good on the health & safety side, which is absolutely crucial to the sport's reputation and continued existence, let's not forget that. But I would like to see him do the following:

1. Be more proactive in reprimanding the questionable performance of referees. O'Connor has been a long-time problem but Ian John-Lewis, for me, is an even bigger one.

2. Be more authoritative - Dillian Whyte being a prime example. Where was Smith's voice on fight week during the Dillian Whyte - Oscar Rivas debacle? Why didn't he do more to make Hearn and SKY provide an explanation? And more recently, should he have pushed back more on allowing the Whyte-Povetkin rematch to take place in a British ring so soon after Whyte was sparked?

3. More transparency - why are the British rankings never published? Do they even exist? We only see what's independently compiled and published in Boxing News by Andy Whittle.

4. More education - what is the criteria for scoring a fight? Does anyone really know? Might it be good for the BBBofC to publish something as part of continuous learning for their officials and for fans, and the casuals to better understand? For example, some people will always score a round involving a knockdown 10-8 regardless, but it doesn't have to be that way. There's a lot of misconceptions around when it comes to scoring a fight. Do British officials count 'ring generalship' as being as important as supposedly officials do in the US? I don't know, do you?

5. Engage more with the media. I want to Smith be more passionate and more understanding about the sport we love, and recognise that he isn't only answerable to his peers but also existing and the next generation of fans who pay their hard-earned money to keep boxing alive.

[Coco]

The BBBoC have always done things behind closed doors, we have no idea if Connor has ever been reprimanded or not.

I remember Billy Aird getting the push, no public announcements are ever made.

[Boxerbeetle]

The BBBoC have always done things behind closed doors, we have no idea if Connor has ever been reprimanded or not.

I remember Billy Aird getting the push, no public announcements are ever made.

If he’s ever been reprimanded, it clearly didn’t have much of an effect

[TheGoods]

Since it's clear that O'Çonnor was only looking at his scorecard, then Smith's response was totally correct. Surprised he even allowed himself to be interviewed, that's a bit of naivety on his part.

Define ‘clear’ please? I’ve looked at it 50 times and it looks like a phone to me. Even in the video, to those claiming the grey phone size thing in his hand is actually a scorecard, a question. Why would you press/scroll a piece of paper with your thumb which he clearly does?

[margaret thatcher]

The BBBoC have always done things behind closed doors, we have no idea if Connor has ever been reprimanded or not.

I remember Billy Aird getting the push, no public announcements are ever made.

Same dud judges and refs keep getting the big assingments despite their continually sh!t performances, obviously nothing significant's been happening

[veriton]

Since it's clear that O'Çonnor was only looking at his scorecard, then Smith's response was totally correct. Surprised he even allowed himself to be interviewed, that's a bit of naivety on his part.

Define ‘clear’ please? I’ve looked at it 50 times and it looks like a phone to me. Even in the video, to those claiming the grey phone size thing in his hand is actually a scorecard, a question. Why would you press/scroll a piece of paper with your thumb which he clearly does?

it's clearly his scorecard, it even bends as he looks at it. if you havent seen this, then either you're looking at the wrong video or you're not ready to admit that this is a disgraceful attempted lynching by a few internet numpties.

[margaret thatcher]

lol ya, omg poor tel, he's such a victim here

[spudder56]

Smith won’t be walking away from his big salary and expenses any time soon

[bennie]

The BBBoC have always done things behind closed doors, we have no idea if Connor has ever been reprimanded or not.

I remember Billy Aird getting the push, no public announcements are ever made.

There was a petition to have Billy reinstated, signed by thousands of licence holders, but the Board were out of touch.

[cormack]

Smith is just as clueless/incompetent as the officials

I’d be interested to know how many “people with knowledge of the sport” scored it for Ritson? Because none of the Sky broadcast team did, and neither did Eddie. So who is Smith talking about here, other than the bent judges?

cheeky twat !
the fight was late getting started so no wonder it was after 12 oclock , berk !

anyway what difference does it make what effin time it is ..
that result was bang wrong at any time of day .. muppet show frankly

[ERIC GUY]

Jeff Hinds falls into line too, my brother fought Craig Evans and won comfortably, dropped him with a body shot and hinds gave him about 2 minutes and said it’s low, funnily enough the footage of that fight has never been found! Corruption in boxing has always been about it’s just becoming more and more prevelant. Something has to give!

what fight was this?

[ERIC GUY]

nothing will change he doesn't care

he done a good interview, very fair, cannot fault robert

[ERIC GUY]

Smith won’t be walking away from his big salary and expenses any time soon

do you know his salary?