09-01-2019, 11:26 PM
Jeff Fenech slams New Zealand referee in Jeff Horn's loss
NZ referee Ferlin Martin was criticised for not stopping the fight as Jeff Horn struggled against Michael Zerafa.
Australian boxing great Jeff Fenech has slammed New Zealand referee Ferlin Martin for not stopping the fight sooner in Jeff Horn's defeat.
Fenech also criticised Horn's corner in his fight against Michael Zerafa on Saturday night at Bendigo Stadium.
Horn was on wobbly legs after getting up from a a ninth-round knockdown in the middleweight bout, but referee Martin allowed the bout to continue.
The game Queenslander copped several shots to the head before Martin stopped the fight, around the same time the towel was thrown into the ring.
"The referee and the corner should be investigated and shouldn't be allowed to be in the sport of boxing, because we've got to first and foremost look after our fighter," Fenech said.
Fenech was critical of Horn's trainer Glenn Rushton, who admitted to being torn between intervening and giving his charge the chance to rally as he did in 2017, when he weathered a ferocious onslaught in his famous win over Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao in Brisbane.
"I think the world of Jeff Horn, I think of him like a son and it's tough to see him get hit," Rushton said.
"Half of you says you want to throw the towel in and the other half says if he grabs him and hangs on, we're close to the end of the round.
"I know how fast Jeff can recover, I know his natural endurance, I know how big a heart he has got, so it's always a tough call.
"If I watch that replay back, I may go ' I think I've erred there , maybe I should have thrown the towel in at that point."
Horn showed some black humour when he noted Pacquiao's onslaught and his stoppage losses to Zerafa and Terence Crawford all happened in the ninth round.
"Round nine again, stupid round nine, we should get rid of that," Horn quipped.
NZ referee Ferlin Martin was criticised for not stopping the fight as Jeff Horn struggled against Michael Zerafa.
Australian boxing great Jeff Fenech has slammed New Zealand referee Ferlin Martin for not stopping the fight sooner in Jeff Horn's defeat.
Fenech also criticised Horn's corner in his fight against Michael Zerafa on Saturday night at Bendigo Stadium.
Horn was on wobbly legs after getting up from a a ninth-round knockdown in the middleweight bout, but referee Martin allowed the bout to continue.
The game Queenslander copped several shots to the head before Martin stopped the fight, around the same time the towel was thrown into the ring.
"The referee and the corner should be investigated and shouldn't be allowed to be in the sport of boxing, because we've got to first and foremost look after our fighter," Fenech said.
Fenech was critical of Horn's trainer Glenn Rushton, who admitted to being torn between intervening and giving his charge the chance to rally as he did in 2017, when he weathered a ferocious onslaught in his famous win over Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao in Brisbane.
"I think the world of Jeff Horn, I think of him like a son and it's tough to see him get hit," Rushton said.
"Half of you says you want to throw the towel in and the other half says if he grabs him and hangs on, we're close to the end of the round.
"I know how fast Jeff can recover, I know his natural endurance, I know how big a heart he has got, so it's always a tough call.
"If I watch that replay back, I may go ' I think I've erred there , maybe I should have thrown the towel in at that point."
Horn showed some black humour when he noted Pacquiao's onslaught and his stoppage losses to Zerafa and Terence Crawford all happened in the ninth round.
"Round nine again, stupid round nine, we should get rid of that," Horn quipped.