Why on earth did the ref have Groves in a headlock?!
To protect his head!
Really, some people!
Excuse me?
I take it you missed the part where Groves was being dragged away and Froch landed a full on body shot?
Well you've just answered your own question haven't you? The ref wanted to stop the fight and considering what had gone on before made a point of protecting Groves' head. Pretty obvious.
I can only apologise, Tom.
For what? I think we may be at cross purposes here?
Maybe I should explain how I saw it.
Tom asked why the ref had Groves in what looked like a headlock when he stopped the fight. I said to protect his head. I thought that it was pretty obvious that ref had taken into account all the "afters" that had gone on in the previous rounds, mainly by Froch. He had hit a few times after the bell and after the ref had called break and had probably been lucky not to have had a penalty against him for some of his misdemeanours. So, when the ref decided to step in, rightly or wrongly, he was mindful of Frotch's history and so protected Groves's most vulnerable part, his head, as he pulled him away.
I hope that clears everything up.
I did't agree with the refs decision but he is an experienced professional boxing referee and none of us on here are. Except Nolly maybe.
Where is Nolly? I'm concerned.
Well initially I thought you were just saying it to ruffle a few feathers, so pre-empted your reply - wrongly as it turned out! No, I do understand what you're saying but surely the referee has to hold Froch back not hold Groves, because it prevents him from defending himself. And even after taking that flurry, he was still able-minded and able-bodied enough to immediately query the decision and push past the referee in sheer disgust. And so he should have! But I guess everyone agrees it was too early. Oh well, it's gone now. Feel for Groves big time though, he is the people's champ at least.
Well you can look at it both ways, ref protect loser or stop winner. Either way he is lining himself up for a beating!
I'm not into ruffling feathers where serious sport is concerned.
However I will support the refs decision all day long. I don't agree with it but what the hell do I know about refereeing a fight? Nothing. Surely better to stop too early than too late?
The ref tonight was a very experienced official apparently. In my day every big fight was reffed by Harry Gibbs!
Well you can look at it both ways, ref protect loser or stop winner. Either way he is lining himself up for a beating!
I'm not into ruffling feathers where serious sport is concerned.
However I will support the refs decision all day long. I don't agree with it but what the hell do I know about refereeing a fight? Nothing. Surely better to stop too early than too late?
The ref tonight was a very experienced official apparently. In my day every big fight was reffed by Harry Gibbs!
Haha sorry mate, pretty hard to detect sarcasm/jokes over an online platform so I guess the joke's on me.
Agreed but as Haye, Khan et al said after the fight - in a title fight, surely you have to let it carry on until someone drops. You can't just stop it after a solitary flurry. I know it can work both ways. Only gotta look at Benny Paret but that was a bit too far the other way. Understatement. When it's obvious, I have no qualms, but it wasn't obvious tonight that Groves was completely unable to defend himself and had no idea where he was. That's why a lot of us feel surprised.
I was as shocked as anyone and I think you'll see I was the first to say so. It was a shame to end like that BUT for people to jump on the Refs back is wrong in my opinion. In football a dodgy Red Card can ruin a game but in boxing an early TKO can save a life. Ok maybe that is a bit melodramatic but there is an underlying point there.
I understand that the Referee has to err on the side of caution but at the same time he has to allow a fighter to 'clear his head' after getting hit rather than stopping the fight automatically.
One of the real skills of Boxing is in being able to 'hang on' when you have been hit, grabbing and clinching your opponent until your head clears and your legs have come back.
I think Groves should have been either given an eight-count to assess his condition - stopping the fight without that was very unfair on him.
If the referee was as concerned as many are making out why did he not dock froch for hitting after he called break or throwing elbows. Absolutely disgusting. Howard Foster will be put up as the patsy but I am sick of this in boxing particularly British boxing. This was all about eddie hearn protecting his investment. I hoped they would have learned their lesson after the burns v beltran debacle but even adam Smith had the sense to be appalled after that and I hope dave coldwell is given the tv contract now.
I think most fans will agree with your sentiments but lets not take it out on the ref.
If anyone understands the Noble Art then will realise WHY the greatest white, non Afro physical specimen of the 1970's never held the Word Titles that he should have.
I think most fans will agree with your sentiments but lets not take it out on the ref.
If anyone understands the Noble Art then will realise WHY the greatest white, non Afro physical specimen of the 1970's never held the Word Titles that he should have.
I think most fans will agree with your sentiments but lets not take it out on the ref.
If anyone understands the Noble Art then will realise WHY the greatest white, non Afro physical specimen of the 1970's never held the Word Titles that he should have.
I take it you are referring to Richard Dunn?
Now that is quite ironic.
I was referring to someone who was actually so wound up by Dunn that it drove him to an aggression that he had not shown since he was involved in one of those tragic boxing incidents. Someone who lives on your side of the hemisphere. Someone who went 15 rounds with The Greatest.
That might be the worst stoppage I've ever seen. And Froch came over as a right bell afterwards.
Steve Bunce said he was more alarmed that 2 judges only had Groves 1 point up at the time of the stoppage than the actual decision, which is a fair point.
I think the whole thing is being blown out of proportion ,
it was a terrible decision, the ref bottled it he failed to give Groves the time required to establish a result , however it may have meant George got KO'd and potentially hurt
but that's the sport you hit each other in the face or body as hard as you can, the ref stepped in because he saw something in Georges Eyes, it may have only been there a second or two but it was there, he Is a good ref I was fuming last night and I am still sick over it now,
I love this sport I love the gladiatorial, skill and honour
The ref made a mistake that is all, and I know that many of Georges friends feel the same , It was not a cheating decision, it was a person trying to ensure that he was not officiating in a Benn, Mclenan or a eubank Watson
Adam Booth was commenting on 5 live, you could understand if he had been bitter, he was gutted with the decision.He said in sparring he had seen Groves hurt before but recover quickly.He said Groves should have been given a count and had earnt the right to recover.
Now that's a different story mate, I agree the judges in this game are as bent a s anything but the ref has to be away from that criticism in this case
I think the ref just gave Froch a hometown getout. Nothing more sinister than that. The judges on the other hand, were ridiculous. I had Groves up by five rounds - I think the two who had him up by only a round were clearly bent. There can't be any question about that. Adalaide Byrd would have been proud of that!
Groves was ahead by 3 in my eyes and we were real close to the action , I can see how he may have been up in a couple of the rds that I gave Froch,
what is surprising to me is that I seen it mentioned with regards to Froch and his dirty tactics, yet Groves forearmed, headbutted and held , not too mention on numerous times in close raked the arm part of his glove across Froch,
had a good chat to Robin Reid and another older boxer in a bar last night who couldn't believe that Groves was not docked a point , and that Froch wasn't either for hitting way after the break was called
Again, I can't swallow this nonsense about protecting fighters when he was watching globetrotting punchbag carl froch have jaw surgery performed on him all night. For me it's like the spot fixing in cricket. It starts from things like that and before you know it, things have escalated horribly.
Comments
I'm not into ruffling feathers where serious sport is concerned.
However I will support the refs decision all day long. I don't agree with it but what the hell do I know about refereeing a fight? Nothing.
Surely better to stop too early than too late?
The ref tonight was a very experienced official apparently. In my day every big fight was reffed by Harry Gibbs!
Agreed but as Haye, Khan et al said after the fight - in a title fight, surely you have to let it carry on until someone drops. You can't just stop it after a solitary flurry. I know it can work both ways. Only gotta look at Benny Paret but that was a bit too far the other way. Understatement. When it's obvious, I have no qualms, but it wasn't obvious tonight that Groves was completely unable to defend himself and had no idea where he was. That's why a lot of us feel surprised.
In football a dodgy Red Card can ruin a game but in boxing an early TKO can save a life.
Ok maybe that is a bit melodramatic but there is an underlying point there.
One of the real skills of Boxing is in being able to 'hang on' when you have been hit, grabbing and clinching your opponent until your head clears and your legs have come back.
I think Groves should have been either given an eight-count to assess his condition - stopping the fight without that was very unfair on him.
If anyone understands the Noble Art then will realise WHY the greatest white, non Afro physical specimen of the 1970's never held the Word Titles that he should have.
I was referring to someone who was actually so wound up by Dunn that it drove him to an aggression that he had not shown since he was involved in one of those tragic boxing incidents.
Someone who lives on your side of the hemisphere. Someone who went 15 rounds with The Greatest.
I didn't know that Dunn had wound him up though, must have been bad because Bugner was such a clinical, methodical fighter.
Not sure if he is even living here in Queensland any more, I know he did all his dough and I heard he was getting a divorce from Marlene but not sure.
How could we possibly not have adored him :-)
Still so annoyed at how this finished feel sick over it
I refuse to accept it is a cheating decision as did the majority of people here last night
The overwhelming feeling was froch was begining to look like he was going to come through the toughest test he had faced
There is only 1 fight left for froch right now a rematch
Carts we both knew george had that In him and fair play you called it mostly right
But george will end up under hearn and this will all be forgotten
Totally robbed George groves.
He robbed both george the fans and carl
I have watched it twice since and georges work rate had dropped
Froch was imo going to knock george out either at that point or the next rd
Steve Bunce said he was more alarmed that 2 judges only had Groves 1 point up at the time of the stoppage than the actual decision, which is a fair point.
Good piece by fellow addick Liam Happe on it: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/the-pugilist/george-groves-big-night-rendered-bittersweet-inconsistent-officiating-055239646.html
it was a terrible decision, the ref bottled it he failed to give Groves the time required to establish a result , however it may have meant George got KO'd and potentially hurt
but that's the sport you hit each other in the face or body as hard as you can, the ref stepped in because he saw something in Georges Eyes, it may have only been there a second or two but it was there, he Is a good ref I was fuming last night and I am still sick over it now,
I love this sport I love the gladiatorial, skill and honour
The ref made a mistake that is all, and I know that many of Georges friends feel the same , It was not a cheating decision, it was a person trying to ensure that he was not officiating in a Benn, Mclenan or a eubank Watson
his aresehole went not his honesty
Please do not be surprised by extraordinary decisions/points wins.
what is surprising to me is that I seen it mentioned with regards to Froch and his dirty tactics, yet Groves forearmed, headbutted and held , not too mention on numerous times in close raked the arm part of his glove across Froch,
had a good chat to Robin Reid and another older boxer in a bar last night who couldn't believe that Groves was not docked a point , and that Froch wasn't either for hitting way after the break was called
Again, I can't swallow this nonsense about protecting fighters when he was watching globetrotting punchbag carl froch have jaw surgery performed on him all night. For me it's like the spot fixing in cricket. It starts from things like that and before you know it, things have escalated horribly.
The Burns decision recently being the worst.
It makes you suspicious.
The home fighter gets massive beneficial treatment from refs and judges everywhere in the world now. Embarrassing.