Three days ago, in the ring of the Chicken Ranch Casino Resort in Jamestown, 19-year-old American prospect Emiliano Moreno, trailing on two of the three official scorecards, secured a controversial TKO victory over Cesar Francis thanks to a highly questionable referee stoppage. Of course, this is nothing new: boxing history is full of similar incidents that have sparked endless debates among fans and experts. In some cases, opinions have been fairly evenly split between those who justified the referee and those who blamed him, while in others, the condemnation of the official was nearly unanimous. Here’s a list of 10 particularly controversial stoppages.
Mike Tyson vs. Donovan Ruddock 1
“If Ruddock doesn’t die, my win doesn’t count,” Tyson had said before the fight. Yet when referee Richard Steele decided to stop the bout, “Razor” didn’t seem anywhere near dead: despite being knocked down and taking some hard shots, he was still putting up a respectable fight, even landing dangerous counters. Then, after a sharp combination from Iron Mike, the arguably premature stoppage triggered a brawl between the two teams.
Michael Dokes vs. Mike Weaver 1
Just when Mike Weaver seemed to have found the right rhythm, winning the WBA heavyweight title and successfully defending it twice, he suffered the cruelest of injustices. Knocked down by Michael Dokes within seconds, he got back up only to be pinned against the ropes and bombarded with punches. Most of the shots seemed to land on the champion’s arms, yet referee Joey Curtis still stopped the fight.
Lucas Matthysse vs. Vivian Harris
When a devastating puncher like Matthysse faces an aging fighter with a fragile chin like Harris, everyone expects a knockout. However, that should be determined by the fighters, not fabricated by the referee. Harris took a solid right hand but absorbed it without issue—only to see the referee immediately remove his mouthguard and stop the fight. Despite his disbelief and frustration, Harris had no way to overturn the decision.
Carl Froch vs. George Groves 1
An electrifying rivalry, partially ruined by referee Howard John Foster, who stopped one of the best battles fought on British soil in the past decade too soon. Dropped by a vicious right hand in the first round and shaken multiple times afterward, Froch was gradually closing the gap and finding openings for his heavy punches. Groves may have eventually crumbled, but at the moment of the stoppage, he still looked capable of continuing.
Ovill McKenzie vs. Enzo Maccarinelli 1
When Maccarinelli faced McKenzie in 2012, he had already suffered five brutal knockouts, so it’s likely that referee Ian John Lewis was concerned about the Italian-born Welshman taking further significant damage. However, his caution proved excessive, as the fight was stopped while the two fighters were exchanging punches, with Maccarinelli well-protected behind his high guard, looking clear-headed and fully capable of continuing.
Roy Jones Jr vs. Merqui Sosa
One of the most fearless fighters in the game, Sosa attacked Jones without hesitation, landing some solid shots—so much so that, years later, the Pensacola Lightning still considers him the hardest puncher he ever faced. But his aggression led him to be caught off guard by a right hand that dropped him in the second round. However, the follow-up flurry from Roy Jones didn’t appear damaging enough to justify the TKO stoppage.
Mate Parlov vs. Domenico Adinolfi
Winning on the road is tough, but when the referee sides with the opponent, it can be impossible. Adinolfi didn’t start his fourth defense of the European light heavyweight title in Belgrade in the best way: he was passive in the early rounds and fell behind on the scorecards. But as he slowly began to mount a comeback, his progress was abruptly halted by an inexplicable stoppage after what seemed like two harmless punches.
Joe Calzaghe vs. Peter Manfredo Jr
The gap in skill level between Calzaghe and Manfredo was enormous, and the Italian Dragon was bound to win regardless. However, the way the fight ended left a bitter taste for many: the punches with which the champion overwhelmed his challenger against the ropes mostly landed on Manfredo’s arms, failing to shake him or put his safety at risk. The fight should have continued.
Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Meldrick Taylor
One of the most astonishing moments in boxing history coincided with one of its most debated referee decisions. That night, 23-year-old Meldrick Taylor was performing a true sporting miracle, troubling the legendary Chavez with his blinding hand speed and he was ahead on the scorecards going into the final round. Knocked down and given a count in the closing moments, he was stopped by referee Richard Steele with just two seconds remaining—despite having gotten back to his feet.
John Wesley Meekins vs. Mohammed Kawoya
By far the most controversial stoppage of all time, the decision made against the unfortunate Ugandan Kawoya was nothing short of absurd. Far from being out of the fight, he was actively trading punches with his opponent—so much so that, just a fraction of a second after the referee’s baffling intervention, he knocked out Meekins with a thunderous right hand to the jaw. Yet he was declared the loser…