Should the Crolla-Matthews fight have been stopped?

[PizzaKid]

IMO it shouldn't have been stopped, I think Crolla still had a lot to offer. What does everyone else think?

[weedevil]

maybe fight was stopped a bit early but i also think matthews was under estimated ...

[milpool]

Possibly...but Crolla was looking a bit worse for wear and I doubt he would have come back to win. He's a young kid who can come again, so maybe the referee just saved him from a needless hammering.
You could make an argument either way though.

[Shambles]

Possibly...but Crolla was looking a bit worse for wear and I doubt he would have come back to win. He's a young kid who can come again, so maybe the referee just saved him from a needless hammering.
You could make an argument either way though.

Indeed, and as someone said in the rbr thread, the ref wouldn't have known how long was left in the round. Bearing that in mind (although I was very annoyed at the time) it seems like he was making the right call. If he'd have known how long was left, the fight may have gone on and things could have been different.
Same as in football etc - we have the benefit of multiple replays, the refs don't.

[billy nelson]

Good decision imo Ant seemed to be getting hurt whenever Derry landed and the cut was very bad as well.

[palooka]

Derry hit too hard for Crolla. It were a surpise and Crolla was walking into uppercuts. If the bout had continued Anthony may have pulled it back or may have got a bad beating. Best thing to stop it.

[ShadrachSimmo]

The important word there is may. Crolla did seem to be in trouble but it was right at the end of the round, Derry himself had been hurt by some heavy body shots with just over a minute to go. Crolla was moving back and still throwing.

And yes, the referee doesn't keep a stopwatch, but I work in 50 minute blocks. I can tell, with decent accuracy, when 50 minutes is about to close without keeping a timepiece.

Exactly. It's not beyond the capabilities of a ref to know that it's nearing the end of a round. Surely there was the 10 sec clacker sound?

[Camcas]

Terrible stoppage, Matthews was hurt more in previous round than Crolla was in the last one, he wasn't taking huge amounts of punches and was still defending himself well. Rematch has to be ordered IMO

[jonny]

The important word there is may. Crolla did seem to be in trouble but it was right at the end of the round, Derry himself had been hurt by some heavy body shots with just over a minute to go. Crolla was moving back and still throwing.

And yes, the referee doesn't keep a stopwatch, but I work in 50 minute blocks. I can tell, with decent accuracy, when 50 minutes is about to close without keeping a timepiece.

Exactly. It's not beyond the capabilities of a ref to know that it's nearing the end of a round. Surely there was the 10 sec clacker sound?

Ten second clacker sound ?? when did we start using that

[Lightsoot]

Poor stoppage. I think Keane thought Crolla was more hurt than he was because he lost his balance in the penultimate exchange. Under fire? Yes. Badly hurt? No. I'm not suggesting the outcome would have been different, Matthews was in the ascendency, but I always felt Crolla might get to him with body shots late on if he could have weathered the storm.

Great performance by Derry though.

[whiskey]

If Crolla had just been floored, then was trapped in a corner shipping head shots .. That's a stoppage.

But he wasn't floored, he wasn't trapped in a corner - as defending champion you don't lose your title like that.

I thought it was bollocks.

[palooka]

Crolla was getting hit hard, was badly cut and got beat by a bigger puncher. If the ref had stopped Matthews in a similar position there'd be no 'bollocks stoppage' about it. It was a good bout, both really wanted to win and the man expected to win didn't. The referee did a good job; Derry hit him hard and often, made Crolla move involuntarily when he was caught. The ref kept Anthony safe for another day he can come back, a surprise stoppage loss doesn't turn him into a bad fighter. Crolla showed lots of guts to fire back but te bout really showed that there are no certs in title level boxing. (It's a good job Crolla didn't face Morales as was mooted a while ago).

[Kilburn]

Had we seen Derry Matthews stopped in the same circumstances I'd definitely disagree with the stoppage just the same, given both men's contribution and obvious conditioning level.

The refs have a tough job, often treading such a fine line. But Keane spoilt that contest no doubt. It was in no way clear whether Crolla was significantly wilting or not IMO.

[cocobongo]

I think the left hook which wobbled Crolla the ref was keepin a close eye on him Derry landed another shot and as you say the ref couldn't have known there was only 4 seconds left and had something big of landed after that Crolla could of been worse off maybe a little premature but not a shocking decison he had been dropped and cut bad and the ref has to have the fighters saftey as a priority if he thought something wasnt right he had every right to step in

[rhino222]

well, i screamed 'no' at the tv at the time of the stoppage, i had no bias and i was enjoying the fight. it was a ridiculous stoppage, the last punch barely clipped crolla, hamed v kelly would have been stopped about 8 times by this numpty referee!!

[Jim Bowen]

In my opinion he should've been allowed to finish the round, what was there left, about 8 seconds? Derry was looking tired in the latter part of that round, but he did hurt Crolla a couple of times. I'd liked to have seen another round and the fight come to a natural conclusion, too many potentially great fights being ruined by trigger happy refs these days.

[TheCobra]

Pathetic stoppage, ruined it for me, Crolla could have gone back to his corner, had a minute and been ready to go to battle again. Matthews was looking vulnerable as well, it could have gone either way. Massive credit to Derry for the performance and he deserved to win, but I wish refs would stop trying to be the star of the show, this fight was ruined right at its potential climax stage.

[cocobongo]

i think ref made his decision to stop it when Crolla stumbled onto the ropes , as far as i know nobody from Crollas team has kicked up to much of a fuss over the stoppage?

[lurkyshaka]

No it shouldn't have been stopped. The fight should have been allowed to reach a proper conclusion either way(tho my gut feeling is Crolla would have ultimately prevailed) Its a shame after a fight like that we're yet again having to discuss an officiating decision.

There is a bunch of British officials who are way past their sell buy date. Keane is one of them. A cull is desperately needed. Many just aren't upto the job.

[leforge]

well, i screamed 'no' at the tv at the time of the stoppage, i had no bias and i was enjoying the fight. it was a ridiculous stoppage, the last punch barely clipped crolla, hamed v kelly would have been stopped about 8 times by this numpty referee!!

The fight was very entertaining surely he would known there only few seconds left.

[jBacca]

i think ref made his decision to stop it when Crolla stumbled onto the ropes , as far as i know nobody from Crollas team has kicked up to much of a fuss over the stoppage?

You could tell as soon as Crolla was wobbled that the ref was looking for the next decent punch to land so he could stop it. Derry landed that uppercut and the ref jumped in.

I thought it was a bit premature but won't slam the ref here. Seen a lot worse stoppages and Crolla was in bad shape with the cut and being hit for fun.

[hitman_hatton1]

hell no. :>

[Lightsoot]

Grounds for an immediate rematch or not? It was an early stoppage, for sure.

http://news.boxrec.com/news/2012/degale ... ro-defence

[THEBUTCH]

Fanstatic punch up Big respect to the Crolla and Matthews for putting it all on the line and serving up a cracker

Thumbs down to John Keane who fluffed the call completly An immediate rematch should be ordered by the BBBofC, I would go as far to say that Crolla would have ground down Matthews a few rounds later. Forget how long was left in the round, that should have nothing to do with it, it was just a complete eff up by Keane.

This situation needs an immediate rematch to try and clear up the controversy and this time get Richie Davis in there instead.

[peter1948]

There is no 10second clacker in British Boxing to indicate to those in the ring that the round is almost finished and never has been.