By Scott Gilfoid: Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn reportedly has approved American referee Charlie Fitch for the Carl Froch – George Groves rematch at the end of the month on May 31st. While Hearn has approved him, Groves and his trainer Paddy Fitzpatrick haven’t said whether they’re good with Fitch as the guy or not.
I’ve watched a couple of fights where Fitch was the referee, and I can’t recall seeing him jump on a guy and wrestle him into a head-lock to stop the fight prematurely like the referee Howard John Foster did the last time Froch and Groves got into the ring. However, I also didn’t see Fitch getting on any of the fighters’ cases about fouling, so I’m not sure if this is a good or a bad thing for the fight.
Hearn didn’t want American Jack Reiss to work the Froch-Groves fight, and Reiss was a guy that has a reputation for not putting up with any kinds of fouling. So now that Hearn is saying Fitch is good, you got to wonder why he’s so keen to have him as the guy.
“A new referee was selected, a guy called Charlie Fitch from New York, very experienced, done about five or six world title fights,’ Hearn said via Sky Sports. “We’re happy. I think the other team are happy and that’s gone back to the IBF.”
I just hope Fitch will enforce the rules, because it would be pretty disappointing if Froch and Groves are in the ring braining each other with rabbit punches all night long on May 31st with him just standing around taking up space in the ring. The last Froch-Groves fight was difficult on the eyes due to the various fouls that were occurring left and right, such as hitting on the break, rabbit shots, and elbows.
The referee working the fight was watching the action but he wasn’t taking the points off. I thought there should have been at least 4-5 deductions of points. Once the points started coming off, I think both guys would have been toeing the line and acting like choir boys.
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