Sport
1News

'Atrocious' - Critics lash out at ref of Parker Joshua fight as officiating style denies Kiwi from executing game plan

April 1, 2018

Parker and Barry said their attempts to understand Giuseppe Quartarone's ruling on fighting inside was lost in translation.

The referee in charge of this morning's heavyweight title fight between Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker is receiving heavy backlash for his officiating with critics claiming he negated any flow to the bout and ruined Parker's game plan.

Giuseppe Quartarone is being hammered by both fighting fans and celebrities alike for his handling of the fight where he seemingly stepped in to break up the two champions any time they got close for a slog fest.

After Joshua took an early lead in the fight using his jab in the opening rounds, Parker changed up the tempo by charging at the British fighter to land body shots in the fifth and sixth rounds.

But then Quartarone started to intervene, denying the pair any chance to scrap in close by stepping in to break them up - a move most refs reserve for when boxers brace each other and throw no punches.

As a result Parker, who entered the fight with a six inch reach disadvantage, had one of his key areas of attack effectively taken away from him.

Parker knew he needed a knockout in the final 30 seconds. Then the judges called it.

In boxing, the fighter with the shorter reach will often look to fight "inside", or up close, as an attempt to fight "outside" or from a distance is typically a lost cause with their opponent simply able to out-jab them - such as what Joshua was doing early to Parker.

Parker therefore continued to try and fight inside but was continuously denied by Quarterone.

However, Parker and Joshua both seemed happy to throw blows in close, making the officiating style one that was questioned after the fight.

Former rugby league star Willie Mason was one of many who shared their distaste online for Quartarone.

"I'm sure the ref between Joshua v Parker is a NRL ref!!! Stoppages every 30 seconds!!!" he wrote.

Other commentators weren't so light-hearted in their criticism.

Joshua won the fight, and therefore Parker's WBO title, after their bout went the full twelve rounds and required the judges' scorecards.

The judges scored the fight 118-110, 118-110, and 118-109.

SHARE ME

More Stories