Board to reflect on O'Connor's score for Smith-Simpson; Scot considered retirement
The British Boxing Board of Control are to consider whether judge Terry O'Connor's tally for Wednesday's British featherweight title clash needs further scrutiny.
Big Brummie Terry has found himself under fire again after scoring 118-112 for champion Stephen Smith in his match against John Simpson. Dave Parris had it 114 apiece whilst Howard Foster gave Liverpudlian Smith the nod by a point, 115-114.
O'Connor previously found himself in hot water with the Board after lodging a lop-sided card for Tyson Fury when most observers thought John McDermott won (the difference being that O'Connor has his hands full with refeering duties on that occasion).
Robert Smith, general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, confirmed that officials will look at the fight closely at their next monthly meeting on May 11 before deciding if O’Connor has any case to answer.
“Everybody I have spoken with has said it was an extremely close contest that could have gone either way," Smith told The Herald newspaper. "But I understand that the contentious part revolves round why there was such a big discrepancy in the scores and these are the sorts of things we have to look into.”
Simpson was apparently so outraged at the decision that he considered retiring after yet another narrow points loss. He has previously been on the wrong end of very close decisions in various title matches against Dazzo Williams, Stephen Foster, Paul Appleby and his first match with Smith. Simpson's manager Alex Morrison and his trainer Billy Nelson both had to persuade the Greenock man to carry on.
“It was a shocking score," said Simpson.
“I know it was close fight but I genuinely believe that I should have been declared the winner. I was the one who dictated the pace and he looked to be finished after I had a good eighth round.
“He was looking to hold on after that and the referee didn’t do me any favours, not that I expected any, given the odds were stacked against me. The first time I fought Smith there were two English judges and one Scot, yet that was in Glasgow.
“My career has been ruined by terrible decisions, but my body is still healthy and I showed against Smith just how fit I am. He hurt me in the first round, but I bounced straight back and kept taking the fight to him.”
On the face of, O'Connor total does look anomalous. But it isn't as bad as it first appears and the official shouldn't be carpeted for it. The contest was yet another full of close sessions and O'Connor might merely have called three very competitive sessions differently to his colleagues. The sport is full of opinions and judges shouldn't be in fear of marking rounds as they see fit just in case there is a public backlash or a Board enquiry. But it is good to see that the Board is prepared to consider issues of this nature as a matter of routine.
