Dear Joe Cortez, You have consistently been one of the worst, most biased referee's in history, ironically in favor of mexican fighters in the past. By absolutely screwing Soto of a victory and title, you are not undoing the injustice of your past. Last Night was an absolute mockery. You should be banned from the sport in a Richard Steele like fashion. That was easily the worst refereeing job ever. You stepped in to stop the fight 10 seconds before the controversial "rabbit punch while down" and were then out of position, not doing your job, and then you penalize the winning fighter? Just go away, and never come back. Yours Truly, Everyone
I've known for years that Cortez is a f*ckin' joke of a ref. Never liked him. He needs to be suspended from refereeing for at least 2 years. Funny enough, that idiot Keith Kizer is an even bigger joke. He's just clueless, period.
Soto was busting up Lorenzo, and Lorenzo's face was fucked up. Soto had him cornered and was beating him up. It looked like Cortez was going to stop the fight, but changed his mind because Lorenzo threw back. A little later in the round, a hurt Lorenzo squatted and then went down. Soto was throwing and one of his shots grazed the top of Lorenzo's head. There was a long confusion as Lorenzo was on the ground, fucked up, with a face looking like a maxi pad. Kizer later said there were 3 bad injuries for Lorenzo, a broken nose, bad cut, and concussion. They ruled that the concussion was the reason he couldn't go on, and Cortez said it was from the shot on the top of the head, and that it was intentional. So Soto got DQ'd. Manny Steward was mad as hell. He looked like he was ready to cry and cuss someone out at the same time.
lets be clear, Lorenzo's eye was in worse shape than Vitali Klitschko's in the Lewis fight. He was bleeding in a way that is unbelievable, and a glancing nothign blow is why he couldn't continue? I mean it was a total sham
Just imagine what kind of cry we would have had this taken place in Germany. Fortunately now the blame is on Cortez, not the nation
He made an error there by making up his mind one second too quickly (which can't be said about Cortez ::) At the very moment when Bayless waved his arms it looked like a correct ruling, then one second later Fields was up and seemingly ready to fight on. I don't think he would have made it out of the round anyway though
I think that the biggest disgrace was Kizer's explanation afterwards. 2 out of the 3 reasons why he felt the fight should have been stopped favored Soto, and the third reason, he called it a pollibility. Credit to Lampley for giving it to him straight and for Steward for telling it like it is and not acting like a robot. Am I the only one that whishes Merchant was around to see that?
No, he beat the count ( was up at about 8 ) and seemed on fairly steady legs when he managed to get up (obviously, not as he was trying to get up ), as UGTBK said, I doubt he would have made it out of the round, but he deserved the chance too try and make it. If it had happened in the later rounds after he had took a beating, sure then, stop it, but it was like the first punches landed in the fight, no risks of injuries were present. Baylless fucked on this one, and that's why ref should pretty much always counto to 10 or ask a few questions before stopping it
Lorenzo should have gotten medical attention sooner. He was lying on the ground all bloody for too long before he got medical attention. It was disgusting.
Correct me if i'm wrong but didn't Cortez get between them when they were on their feet, but after the one fighter wen't down he was nowhere to be found.
