BoxRec

There is a article on the main page of this site entitled. "The Worst decisions in a British ring?". It is supposed to be a poll for you to vote on the worst decisions - can anybody read the poll / see the contendors. I just get a blank screen.

Some pillock's put Sven Ottke down for the worst decision seen in a British ring.

Incidentally, I didn't know you wrote for boxing central, James?

I was pleased someone picked out Slugger O'Toole v Henry WHarton, I think he fought as Fidel Castro Smith that night but whatever his name he won the fight.

It was me who put up the poll, I'm just filling in some background to the ongoing Vanzie story, didn't want to lead the poll in any way so ensure there were a few options. I wanted to put Smith v WHarton up but didn't think the readership would recall it.

I underestimated people.

DP

DavidPayne wrote:I was pleased someone picked out Slugger O'Toole v Henry WHarton, I think he fought as Fidel Castro Smith that night but whatever his name he won the fight.

It was me who put up the poll, I'm just filling in some background to the ongoing Vanzie story, didn't want to lead the poll in any way so ensure there were a few options. I wanted to put Smith v WHarton up but didn't think the readership would recall it.

I underestimated people.

DP

Mickey Duff (Wharton's manager) stood up on the ring apron in between the later rounds and got the huge Elland Road crowd chanting Wharton's name. I've seen Duff do this before because it influences the judging. The referee scoring the fight hears the thunderous chants for the hometown boy and thinks, "shit, there's going to be a riot if I give it to the visitor."

It worked.

bennie wrote:Incidentally, I didn't know you wrote for boxing central, James?

Haven't done for a long while now, but I used to work alongside Mr Payne for quite a while, think it was about a year, or nearly that long. Had a long break after that and then wrote for boxinginlasvegas, then eastside, and finally maxboxing.

Boxing-central were the first to publish anything I wrote however.

[quote="DavidPayne"]I was pleased someone picked out Slugger O'Toole v Henry WHarton, I think he fought as Fidel Castro Smith that night but whatever his name he won the fight.

This is the fight that almost made me want to quit watching boxing. I had seen lots of slugger's fights at sheffield City Hall and knew he could win this one.

he had Wharton beaten all ends up and I still can't believe the result.

Slapsie

It was one of those fights where, from ringside, there were few complaints but, from TV, it looked scandalous. Frank Bruno's co-commentary was very pro-O'Toole. Referee Larry O'Connell threatened to sue Bruno when he heard the commentary.
Incidentally, O'Connell also scored what I regard as the worst verdict seen in a British ring (off the top of my head): the win by Bernard Paul over Zambia's Felix Bwalya at York hall in 1997.
It set off a chain of events that led to Bwalya's death.

jamesmcdonnell wrote:

bennie wrote:Incidentally, I didn't know you wrote for boxing central, James?

Haven't done for a long while now, but I used to work alongside Mr Payne for quite a while, think it was about a year, or nearly that long. Had a long break after that and then wrote for boxinginlasvegas, then eastside, and finally maxboxing.

Boxing-central were the first to publish anything I wrote however.

Its time somebody owned up James:-)

I've no written much for boxcent recently, I was doing some paid-for work with Audleyharrison.com, alongside one or two bits in the press Stateside but now ibopboxing are my paymasters following pretty much a year sabbatical.

So onwards and upwards from there. Thats the plan.

Good luck there Dave, as they say 'show me the money.'