FRANK MALONEY RELEASE ON MCDERMOTT-FURY (Merged)

[FtmPress]

FAO: Sports Editors, Boxing Press, Internet Correspondents

MALONEY ACCUSES O’CONNOR OF GETTING REVENGE
FRANK MALONEY believes referee Terry O’Connor cost John McDermott his English heavyweight title because the Essex fighter’s dad knocked him out 32 years ago.
O’Connor caused one of the biggest controversies ever seen in a British boxing ring when he scored Tyson Fury a 98-92 points winner over McDermott at Brentwood Arena on Friday.
Sky TV commentators, 2000 fans packed into the sold out venue and millions of TV viewers were stunned.
Many bombarded internet sites and vented their anger towards O’Connor over his decision in the ten round fight where McDermott appeared a clear winner.
Former journeyman O’Connor who won just 20 of his 44 fights when he boxed was knocked out in five rounds by Stan McDermott at the Royal Albert Hall in December 1977.
Maloney said: “I think O’Connor is incompetent, but also when he saw Stan in John’s corner got flashbacks to the night he was beaten by Stan in their match.”
Maloney who promotes McDermott met with his lawyer this morning (SAT) to consider his next move, but is pleading with the British Boxing Board of Control to change the result.
He raged: “I have spoken with my lawyer and if the Board don’t take action I will consider legal action and even lobby the Sports Minster.
“No wonder people who don’t follow boxing ask me, ‘Is boxing fixed?’. It isn’t but decisions like this will only turn people away from the sport.
“I have even had calls from Board officials embarrassed by what went on and I am asking them to change the result.
“John is distraught and considering retirement. I bet O’Connor is sitting at home in Birmingham looking forward to his next refereeing job, but God help the promoter who gets him.
“I want an urgent meeting with the BBB of C and I will also demand that O’Connor is banned for the sake of boxing.
“I have every confidence in the Board’s general secretary Robert Smith, but if they bury their heads in the sand hoping I will go away, I will push for a vote of no confidence in them.
“The TV cameras even picked up Fury’s corner telling him at the start of the final round that he needed a knockout.
“I have spoken with five national newspaper journalists this morning and the closest any of them had was two rounds to McDermott.”
FOR FURTHER COMMENT FROM MALONEY HE IS AVAILABLE ON HIS MOBILE , WHICH JOURNALISTS HAVE.

[Finch]

I would love it if you got the board to change the result. Can't really see anything happening though unfortunately.

Good luck....... something needs to happen !

[chinny]

Good on you Frank.

How can you run a business in such a rotten environment?

[doctorboxing]

Maloney will no doubt get in a bit of bother for his comments but they certainly need to be said and I applaud Maloney for doing it. O'connor should be banned as should a number of other referees/judges who are at best incompotent and at worst corrupt. If nothing is done the sport will be ruined for good. I am a huge fan of the sport but it really puts me off, imagine what it does to the casual fan who just tuned in last night to see if it was worth watching.

The board should make it a no-contest and order a rematch. O'connor, like anyone else in the world who performs poorlyin their job, should be subject to a suspension at the minimum and possibly be demoted.

If the board do nothing, they are allowing the sport to go to the wall.

[Smit]

Good Luck, that decision was an absolute disgrace.

O'Connor should never be allowed near a ring again and his pay should be frozen until he gives an explanation to his scoring of the fight.

[rf]

Good Luck, that decision was an absolute disgrace.

O'Connor should never be allowed near a ring again and his pay should be frozen until he gives an explanation to his scoring of the fight.

How much would a ref get for a fight like this, anyone know ?

[whicker]

and millions of TV viewers

For an English title fight on Friday Fight Night? You are having ah larf!

[whicker]

The root of the problem is that a fight of this significance is still scored by just one person, who also has the job of refereeing the fight as well.

Farcial.

In serious disputes the board should also show the footage, without commentary , and without the person watching knowing the result (anyone in the states, for example, could do it) to 10 neutral people, and ask them to give a score.

[Eraserhead]

If McDermott and O'Connor had history, why the fook did Maloney book the plank in the first place?

[Coco]

It would be a bad precedent to get lawyers involved, just think none of FW's fighters would ever lose then, and the Khan-Prescott result would get reversed.

[rf]

If McDermott and O'Connor had history, why the fook did Maloney book the plank in the first place?

Promoters dont book the referees the board appoint them surely

[Eraserhead]

If McDermott and O'Connor had history, why the fook did Maloney book the plank in the first place?

Promoters dont book the referees the board appoint them

Well someone should have brought this stuff up before then, assuming it was common knowledge.

[Coco]

If McDermott and O'Connor had history, why the fook did Maloney book the plank in the first place?

Promoters dont book the referees the board appoint them

Promoters can veto them though.

[Counter-puncher]

I would be interested to hear what Frank's opinion of all us internet 'anoraks' is, when we are doing something he agrees with. I bet he's more positive.

[dondada]

Absolutely no f*cking chance of getting the result changed or even made into a no contest - and nor should it be. What's done is done.

They need to have a rematch. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that Fury should not be allowed to box for another British governed title until he does (presuming John wants one).

[alexpaterson]

Good luck Frank I hope he does get banned that was shocking, disgraceful judging

[steve689]

Exactly. Starting to reverse scores and all that is opening a dangerous can of worms. A rematch is the only way to go.

[oliverfennell]

Exactly. Starting to reverse scores and all that is opening a dangerous can of worms. A rematch is the only way to go.

Yep, would set a dangerous precedent. Everyone would start trying for results to be overturned, and they'd have a legal argument in "but they did it for McDermott, why not for my fighter".

[neil hibbert]

well said frank, still cant believe the result

[hitman_hatton1]

the only major injustice here is the margin of the victory.

i could see at a push a 6-4 in rds for fury.

or more likely a draw.

but 8-2 was plain stupid.

[berealman]

daylight robbery - Fury was beaten, and beaten convincingly

[Gaz_73]

the only major injustice here is the margin of the victory.

i could see at a push a 6-4 in rds for fury.

or more likely a draw.

but 8-2 was plain stupid.

That is the issue. If it came up with 96-94 Fury, you'd say it was a crap decision, but just dismiss it as that. 8-2 was complete bollocks. Fury won that fight no more than I did.

The root of the problem is that a fight of this significance is still scored by just one person, who also has the job of refereeing the fight as well.

Farcial.

Absoultely agree with you. It's an absolute joke.

[The_Don1]

I would be interested to hear what Frank's opinion of all us internet 'anoraks' is, when we are doing something he agrees with. I bet he's more positive.

Good point, as much I think McD won the fight and I support Maloney in what he's doing...its a bit rich for him to slag off forum users for their opinions on things he doesn't agree with or things he thinks shouldn't concern them...and them come running the same internet forum for support for his cause.

[Rixxy]

i think that they shouldnt change the result because it would deminish the role of the referee, but a re-match is needed.
Tyson said last night in his interview that he wanted a re-match and i think it will happen.
I can understand franks dissapointed, but to say terry gave tyson the win because jons dad knocked him out is a bit silly. The reason people may think the sport is fixed has something to do his comments not the result.

[tonyevs]

Good luck Frank - give em hell