The stoppage of Jono last night

[El Cepillo]

What are your thoughts in the cold light of day?

Was the stoppage too early?

I thought it was a bullshit stoppage tbh, yeah ok, I can see why the ref did it, but this is boxing, its a brutal sport and once you try and fundamentally change that by stopping a fight everytime someone might be about to get hurt, then it really ruins ruins the essence of it. Alright, it wouldn't have changed the result, but Thaxton is a warrior and he deserved more than that, IMO.

[Mr Butt]

yeah i think it was to early ,as it was obvious it was gonna be thaxton's last fight the ref should of let it go .i am sure his corner would of not let him take to much but at least he did not get hurt.

[Hooch]

I agree, the ref must have taken into account Thaxtons' hard career when making the call which should not be the case - its up to Thaxtons' corner to make that kind of decession.

Thought both fighters were short changed if that makes sense - Murray was robbed of a clear cut and impressive stoppage, with Thaxton robbed of a punchers chance to end it in next round or so with an on rushing Murray open to counters.

To early a stoppage

[Cobbler]

I don't think it is possible (or reasonable to expect) that a referee can officiate a fight without being influenced by their pre-fight expectations, althout they obviously try to minimise that.

In this case, Thaxton was clearly in a fight that his previous performances didn't merit him being in, and what was likely to happen during the fight was very forseeable. It was always likely that the referee would tend towards an early stoppage once that obvious story began to unfold.

[TommyV]

Too soon. Thaxton might of been stopped later on, but it was one punch that had him a bit stunned, Murray didn't land anything when he had Thaxton on the ropes and the ref jumped in. Howard Webb robbed of what was a good fight. Duke McKenzie and John Rawling were talking shit aswell about 'Murray rocked Thaxton with every punch he landed'. He landed a lot and Thaxton took the majority extremely well.

[rooq]

early stoppage, but its probably very different to being in a ring when its your duty is to protect a fighter from getting unnecessarily and possibly permanently damaged.

[MIK1000]

too soon.

[ollyc]

I thought it was a poor stoppage. Yes, Thaxton was being caught flush regularly, yes he had been staggered by an eye catching blow, and yes he was on the way to losing convincingly, but ...
He wasn't caught by a single shot in the flurry that followed & he seemed to be in full control of his senses and not desperately hurt; why not allow him the remainder of the round to survive/throw a last few desperate hayemakers, and then at the end of the round Foster could've gone to his corner and told him that he would be intervening if the fight continued to be so one-sided.
My underlying problem with the stoppage is that there was no warning, it was all to sudden - there was no way Jono could've seen it coming, no way he could've illustrated he was capable of continuing to fight as he wasn't aware that he was in danger of being stopped (by Foster that is). And if that stoppage is to be used as a template for future crossroads-type fights, the younger bookies favourite might as well have his hand raised before the opening bell.
As for the matter of protecting Thaxton, the manner of defeat may conversely convince him to continue boxing thus prolonging an already lengthy career and exposing him to further potential punshment in an effort to regain the Lonsdale outright.

[ollyc]

I don't think it is possible (or reasonable to expect) that a referee can officiate a fight without being influenced by their pre-fight expectations, althout they obviously try to minimise that.

In this case, Thaxton was clearly in a fight that his previous performances didn't merit him being in, and what was likely to happen during the fight was very forseeable. It was always likely that the referee would tend towards an early stoppage once that obvious story began to unfold.

I sort of agree, but I still insist he beat Mezaache, and lost a close fight to a rugged, physical welterweight - so he probably deserved the right to contest the vacnt belt

[Geiger]

I was surprised that the fight was ended at that point but not really too annoyed. In my opinion the fight was heading one way and I didn't need see Thaxton take more shots. Having said that, I understand the other side of the argument and knowing how much the fight meant to Jon I thought it would've continued to a decisive end.

Regardless of what Jon does next, he's had a good career and I've enjoyed watching him fight.

[Cobbler]

As for the matter of protecting Thaxton, the manner of defeat may conversely convince him to continue boxing thus prolonging an already lengthy career and exposing him to further potential punshment in an effort to regain the Lonsdale outright.

This is a good point and one of the first things that crossed my mind: I hope that doesn't persuade him against retiring...

[achillesthegreat]

too early.

he won the first, lost the 2nd and 3rd but I felt he was beginning to throw arc punches like the uppercuts and hook. those punches instead of his straights could stun murray. he wasn't winning and he didn't look like he would but it's a british title fight. you don't stop it after someone gets wobbled, covers up and takes 3 punches.

i see why the ref did it but in terms of boxing, they were probably the wrong reasons.

i feel sorry for jono. he would have wanted to go out on his shield.

[SteelTownCobra]

What are your thoughts in the cold light of day?

Was the stoppage too early?

I thought it was a bullshit stoppage tbh, yeah ok, I can see why the ref did it, but this is boxing, its a brutal sport and once you try and fundamentally change that by stopping a fight everytime someone might be about to get hurt, then it really ruins ruins the essence of it. Alright, it wouldn't have changed the result, but Thaxton is a warrior and he deserved more than that, IMO.
Couldn't have put it better myself.

[SteelTownCobra]

Too soon. Thaxton might of been stopped later on, but it was one punch that had him a bit stunned, Murray didn't land anything when he had Thaxton on the ropes and the ref jumped in. Howard Webb robbed of what was a good fight. Duke McKenzie and John Rawling were talking shit aswell about 'Murray rocked Thaxton with every punch he landed'. He landed a lot and Thaxton took the majority extremely well.
Totally agree with that too.

[Paddy]

Too soon. Thaxton might of been stopped later on, but it was one punch that had him a bit stunned, Murray didn't land anything when he had Thaxton on the ropes and the ref jumped in. Howard Webb robbed of what was a good fight. Duke McKenzie and John Rawling were talking shit aswell about 'Murray rocked Thaxton with every punch he landed'. He landed a lot and Thaxton took the majority extremely well.

bad stoppage I feel this takes away from Murrays win he was very impressive all the same

[safc1990]

Terrible stoppage, the commentators hugging of Murray was unberable to listen to.

[rumour24tiger]

i'd say the ref jumped in when thaxton was wobbled, and stopped it early.

my take is, it prevented murray from putting in a devastating finish - and the post fight reaction is more focused on the ref, on thaxton, than the man who went in there and dominated - john murray.

thaxton said the plan was to beat murray late. not a great plan. i don't want to 2nd guess pros like thaxton and his team, but if it had gone late, things would have got really, really bad for thaxton.

[warrior85]

too soon imo although he was definetly gonna get stopped last night at some point,at least he didnt get battered

[mike464]

Terrible stoppage. Imagine if the ref had stopped Marquez in round one of the Pacquiao fight! There would be a few people saying that he was obviously saving Marquez from a beating but the ref did the right thing because Marquez was able to continue. How many other great fights would we have missed if the ref jumped in as soon as someone wobbled. This is boxing.

[El Cepillo]

^^^ Yep.

---------------------

I think Murray looked really sharp last night. I was impressed.

[rumour24tiger]

but let's put things in perspective. murray's british title opponents/challengers have been beaten in very one sided fashion. there is no match for him in the uk. if his last 4 fights had been any more one sided, they might have been akin to cotto-jennings and pavlik-lockett. we can cry for thaxton, but he was getting owned in there.

[trotter]

Much too early, but we all know why

You cannot castigate a referee for making an honest decision with a fighters safety in mind

[Flea Man]

Too soon.

To get a gauge of where Murray's at, give him Katsidis next. If not, Rees will be a decent domestic tussle. Mezzache is awkward as Hell, can Murray keep the patient approach he showed last night, which is what done Thaxton in after hurting the Frenchman so early.

I think Murray was in great shape last night and kept his hands high. Jono showed that with fast flurries and in-and-out movement Murray becomes plodding and uninspired, so keep him away from Guzman if he goes up to World Class :good

[pathmanc1986]

Too soon.

To get a gauge of where Murray's at, give him Katsidis next. If not, Rees will be a decent domestic tussle. Mezzache is awkward as Hell, can Murray keep the patient approach he showed last night, which is what done Thaxton in after hurting the Frenchman so early.

I think Murray was in great shape last night and kept his hands high. Jono showed that with fast flurries and in-and-out movement Murray becomes plodding and uninspired, so keep him away from Guzman if he goes up to World Class :good



dont really think katsidis is a kind of see where your at fighter. hes too intense powerful and fit for 95% of the lightweights out there and holding the WBO interim belt will see him get another couple big fights on HBO. hes outa murrays league at this stage i think

[Unforgiven]

It was too early.

But i can forgive a referee making an early stoppage once in a while. What I dont like is the overblown justification and ranting on about how "spot on" it was from the ITV team.
They knew instantly it was early and controversial, hence their protestations to the contrary before anyone had said so !

Why dont they just say, "That was an early stoppage for a title fight, we sympathise with Thaxton, but Murray was almost certainly going to win and we think Thaxton would get beat up in any rematch" - you know, a two-sided honest assessment.

[mike464]

It was too early.

But i can forgive a referee making an early stoppage once in a while. What I dont like is the overblown justification and ranting on about how "spot on" it was from the ITV team.
They knew instantly it was early and controversial, hence their protestations to the contrary before anyone had said so !

Why dont they just say, "That was an early stoppage for a title fight, we sympathise with Thaxton, but Murray was almost certainly going to win and we think Thaxton would get beat up in any rematch" - you know, a two-sided honest assessment.Yeah they started defending it before any one criticized it.

[Beeston Brawler]

I think the stoppage was as bad as Calzaghe vs Manfredo, if not worse.

Murray hit Thaxton with a solid punch, which wobbled him - there wasn't even much of a follow-up flurry, or anything, the ref just jumped in!

It was unfair on Murray as well..... he was taking over the fight pretty well and to have it taken away from him.... just not right.

Might persuade Thaxton to have one more - which isn't good.

Clearly you would rather have an early stoppage than a repeat of McClellan or Watson incidents, but that was cautious in the extreme.

In summary, bullshit stoppage.

[El Cepillo]

I think if it had come later in the fight, I wouldn't have a problem with it. But Thaxton hadn't been down, he hadn't been beaten up, he was still in the fight..... I totally understand why the ref did it.... but that doesn't mean it was right. Anyway, all in the past now I suppose. Moving on.

[StevenB]

Poor stoppage. Thaxton deserved the opportunity to get himself out of that spot. Yes, he was rocked, but that's all and a fighter of Thaxton's ability, even faded, deserves the chance to fight on.


Rawling and McKenzie might have gone OTT last night but I'd much rather listen to them than Jim Watt and Adam Smith any day.

[rumour24tiger]

Too soon.

To get a gauge of where Murray's at, give him Katsidis next. If not, Rees will be a decent domestic tussle. Mezzache is awkward as Hell, can Murray keep the patient approach he showed last night, which is what done Thaxton in after hurting the Frenchman so early.

I think Murray was in great shape last night and kept his hands high. Jono showed that with fast flurries and in-and-out movement Murray becomes plodding and uninspired, so keep him away from Guzman if he goes up to World Class :goodof course he can, and he already did this to mcallister, a more awkward and talented boxer than mezaache.

[rumour24tiger]

dont really think katsidis is a kind of see where your at fighter. hes too intense powerful and fit for 95% of the lightweights out there and holding the WBO interim belt will see him get another couple big fights on HBO. hes outa murrays league at this stage i think
graham earl hurt him a couple of times, a seriously hurt earl at that.

murray's considerably better than earl, and is showing some real boxing ability, boxing ability being what katsidis is lacking. katsidis obviously makes up for ti in other areas, and is a relentless and strong fighter, of course. at the right time, i'm sure murray can beat him.

[Flea Man]

of course he can, and he already did this to mcallister, a more awkward and talented boxer than mezaache.

I personally think McCallister was looking good early though, and Mezzache has a slightly more powerful than dig than McCallister (which isn't saying much) and is much less textbook than McCallister, who is just your standard slippery stylist.

Mezzache seems to have little or no clue about what he's going to do next; nightmare for Murray.

Are people forgetting how close Al hamidi ran him? I like Murray but at 20-something and 0 he needs to move on to bigger and better things now, must be Mezzache next. If he beats him (and he really isn't much kop) he has to step it up.

If he can keep a tight guard he has every chance of beating the wofully overrated Valero. All Murray has to do is keep a tight guard for three or four rounds and Valero will be easy pickings:deal

[FLINT ISLAND]

Terrible stoppage, not that it changed the result

[essexboy]

The pundits were full of shit, the stoppage was far too early. The way they talk like Thaxton was never gonna win the fight, thats not the point, it was a British title fight and he should have been given the benefit of the doubt. The problem is their all too friendly with Thaxton and dont wanna see him get hurt, thats fair enough but you cant just stop a fight like that, he was shook but Murray missed with all his follow up punches. I think Thaxton should have been given at least to the end of the round.

[mcguirpa]

I don't know about everyone else but I'm sick to the back teeth of bullshit stoppages. Funnily enough it only ever happens when it's not the favourite who's gone down. Who'd a thunk it eh?

It particularly pisses me off when a fighter has gone to the effort of getting up inside the count and gets waved off. It's like the rules have changed and getting up inside 10 and showing some degree of consciousness and willing isn't enough anymore.

Like Belshaw against Harrison on Saturday. Granted, there was only going to be one winner. But Belshaw was up at 8, gave the ref his gloves, bell sounds, ref waves it off. What the fuck is all that about? he was about to get a minutes recovery time. They wouldn't have waved Amir Khan off in such a manner.

[gasman]

I think Jono could have been given to the end of the round, but I wouldnt be too hard on the ref, it really looked one way traffic and arguably Jono wouldnt have lasted the round anyway.

Sunday Times writer and International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, Hugh McIlvanney gives a related, and enlightened perspective, as noted by Brian Doogan:

Any supporter of boxing who does not admit to some residual ambivalence about its values, who has not wondered in its crueller moments if it is worth the candle, must be suspect,” he wrote in an introduction to his anthology, McIlvanney On Boxing.

The most poignant example of this was in 1979 when he found himself in a Los Angeles hospital where Welsh boxer Johnny Owen was fighting for his life having been knocked out by Mexico’s Lupe Pintor. Owen would lose his brave battle some weeks later and McIlvanney found himself thinking of his mother who was back home in Merthyr Tydfil: “She can scarcely avoid being bitter against boxing now and many who have not suffered such personal agony because of the hardest of sports will be asking once again if the game is worth the candle. Quite a few of us who have been involved with it most of our lives share the doubts.

"But our reactions are bound to be complicated by the knowledge that it was boxing that gave Johnny Owen his one positive means of self-expression. Outside the ring he was an inaudible and almost invisible personality. Inside, he became astonishingly positive and self-assured. He seemed to be more at home there than anywhere else.

"It is his tragedy that he found himself articulate in such a dangerous language.”

[DAVEMAKER]

john murrays handspeed looked improved to me... i think his power is overated by some

[Dunky McCafferty]

The ref is a bottler, simple as.

This ref, Howard Davies or Davis or whatever the fuck hes called is clearly a guy who gets intimidated by a noisy home support, dont forget this is the same guy who stopped Applebey in Ireland in front of a hostile home support the minute the scotsman took a clean shot like Thaxton, & the ref couldnt get in there quick enough.

Both were awful stoppages, because this ref is intimidated by rowdy home crowds, & you can tell he just wants to please the home fans, & get home without much fuss.

Thats exactly how it is.

[TFFP]

Bad stoppage. 'It was only going one way' is not a valid excuse. It might be true, but you aren't supposed to react to things that havn't happened, only ref the fight as you can see it. And as far as what happened, there was nothing to stop the fight on, Thaxton never even touched canvas which indicates he was not BADLY hurt.

He was getting shaken up, but this is a tough sport...nobody said it was easy. People punch each other in the head and they get hurt.

[HeavyT]

I feel it was early, but Thaxton was really going and his punch resistance really looked gone.

[rumour24tiger]

I personally think McCallister was looking good early though, and Mezzache has a slightly more powerful than dig than McCallister (which isn't saying much) and is much less textbook than McCallister, who is just your standard slippery stylist.

Mezzache seems to have little or no clue about what he's going to do next; nightmare for Murray.

Are people forgetting how close Al hamidi ran him? I like Murray but at 20-something and 0 he needs to move on to bigger and better things now, must be Mezzache next. If he beats him (and he really isn't much kop) he has to step it up.

If he can keep a tight guard he has every chance of beating the wofully overrated Valero. All Murray has to do is keep a tight guard for three or four rounds and Valero will be easy pickings:dealmurray was really below par not only v hamidi but also munguia: bad times. but i think he's shown, in his last 4 fights, what he's capable of. especially vs a horribly awkward and mobile fighter like mcallister. reckon with his current form, murray would break down mezaache. mezaache might not know what he's doing next, but murray would likely have a nice efficient battle plan to break him down, slow him down and wear him out. it could be ugly at times.

but if mcallister has in fact landed a EBU title fight, v mezaache, then i'm not sure i can see murray going over old ground, in spite of the title. i might be wrong. momentum seems to be the key for succes in murray's career.

personally, and i don't think it ever happens, i think romanov is a better fight than mezaache. if you beat romanov, then this is better than winning a european title (as was the case with earl). the world class guys and the sanctioning bodies will recognise you (possibly). romanov is also known in britain, & it's the romanovs of the world that will give murray a real fight.

[whatcouldabeen]

hard to argue with rather too early then too late

[Govanmauler]

It was clearly early but Jono was getting rocked with near enough every shot ( although I notice Mckenzie only said "his legs have gone" once lol ! ).

If it was me I would have wanted to go out on my shield but if I was Jonos family i guess I'd have rather he was stopped when he was , he had no chance.

[SeasideSlugger]

Maybe a touch early, but every shot seemed to stiffen Thaxtons legs. He's proud and game though so it might stick in his throat a bit.

Murray looked too good for him after the first, he'd have busted him up. Get yerself out Jono, a bit of punditry awaits.

[Tony Bellew]

Terrible stoppage, not that it changed the result

^^^^^^^^^
I agree completley!! I thought Murray was gonna win BUT if that ref would have allowed it to go on it would have got an awful lot tougher for Murray!! It looked as though Jono was waiting for his time to come..

[Flea Man]

Murray was Romanov..............hmmmmm I think Romanov would take that.

[Strike]

Dreadful stoppage, and McKenzie talking absolute bollocks about a compassionate act from the ref because Thaxton was going to be stopped at some point.

Since when should a ref stop a fight based on what he thinks is bound to happen? Corrales looked gone after the first KD in his first fight with Castillo, should the ref just wave it off?

Or when Haye was dropped by Mormeck perhaps the ref should have decided he was bound to get stopped at some point so step in.

Bullshit stoppage.

[foreverleeds]

It was definitely a premature stoppage.

The ref obviously decided before going into the ring that since this was Thaxton's last fight, any sign of Murray walking away with it and he'd step in to stop Thaxton taking a beating.

It was a British Title fight at the end of the day and Thaxton had'nt even touched the canvas before the stoppage!

Not sure what John Rawling was playing at either - seemed to have an agenda afterwards where he would'nt even listen to or acknowledge anybody else's point of view on the stoppage? Bizzare!

[El Cepillo]

Dreadful stoppage, and McKenzie talking absolute bollocks about a compassionate act from the ref because Thaxton was going to be stopped at some point.

Since when should a ref stop a fight based on what he thinks is bound to happen? Corrales looked gone after the first KD in his first fight with Castillo, should the ref just wave it off?

Or when Haye was dropped by Mormeck perhaps the ref should have decided he was bound to get stopped at some point so step in.

Bullshit stoppage.

Exactly, fights change from moment to moment, Thaxton could have got battered for 11 and a half rounds, then landed a KO shot. Murray could have picked up an injury, he could have been caught flush or lost focus, Thaxton could have adopted new tactics etc. etc. etc. It's not for the ref to try and predict the future of a contest that is totally unpredictable.

[RichDam]

Perfectly acceptable stoppage. Thaxton looked like an old man in the ring. His reactions were sluggish and it definitely saved him from a brutal knockout. There was only one way the fight was going and the referee was correct to step in.

Yeah it is a brutal sport, but there is nothing wrong with showing compassion for an ageing warrior like Thaxton, who has taken far too much punishment already. These fighters have lives outside the ring,

[Mazallan]

I think that if it had been a 4/6 rounder and that if Jono had been a jorneyman or afrobum then the stoppage would have been correct but in a British title fight between two very good fighters the ref should have let the fight progress. I knw it is bad seeing an old fighter take abit of a beating but Thaxton was not in a load of truble and would have maybe survived the round and fought on, with his punch he still could have won too.