Boxing Got Another One Wrong
Last week, we saw one of the worst stoppages in recent memory when referee Tony Weeks stepped in and stopped a fight in the 9th round in order to "save" Ismael Barroso and give Rolly Romero a formerly vacant WBA super lightweight title.
("Get up, Rolly!… We have a belt to give you!")
Tonight, we didn't see something that egregious, but something frustrating nonetheless.
Tonight we saw a referee named Tony Dock do a FANTASTIC job officiating future Hall of Famer, Vasiliy Lomachenko vs undisputed lightweight champ, Devin Haney… A fight that turned into a 12-round BATTLE between two technically sound boxers.
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Neither of these gentlemen is a "knockout fighter" per se, so everyone was expecting it to go to the cards, and it did. But, MAN, those cards did not reflect the fight the rest of the world was watching.
Lomachenko did not get off to his traditional slow start, and the back-and-forth action I saw in Round 1 led me to say out loud, "This will be a tough one to judge."
Eleven rounds later, we waited for a decision that I was certain would be 115-113 in favor of Loma, but thought a DRAW might also be on the table for judges who weren't on board with me. So I was stunned to see all 3 cards announced in favor of Devin, including a 116-112 from Dave Moretti, who must have taken a personal call from the 7th Round on.
Again, a fight like this is very tough to judge, and it calls into question what judges place as a priority. That is why I don't want to use the word "robbery". But it was undoubtedly a "bad decision"… One that will probably be the last chance for Lomachenko to win back the lightweight belts he lost to Teofimo Lopez in the COVID bubble of 2020.
And in a rare show of emotion, Lomachenko lost it in the locker room…
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The future of the division, Shakur Stevenson, was ringside for the fight and was quick to step into the ring to say Lomachenko won as Devin and his dad scurried back to the locker room while being pelted with beer bottles.
So what's next?
Does Haney decide he no longer wants to cut as much weight and move up to 140?
Does he stick around and maybe give a title shot to a young stud like Shakur?
I have no fucking idea… But I do know Devin Haney should go to sleep tonight thanking God that those judges weren't watching the same fight I watched.
Take a report.
-Large