By Ken Hissner: Ever since the first Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez first fight in September of 2017 when a draw was the disputed decision after an obvious Golovkin victory in Las Vegas, Nevada have officials come under suspicion.
That night judge Adalaide Byrd scored the fight 118-110 for Alvarez, who ran the last seven rounds after absorbing the power of Golovkin. Judge Don Trella had it 114-114, which was also questionable. I believe Byrd was suspended for thirty days after that.
In September of 2018, in their rematch judges, Glenn Feldman scored it 114-114, while judges Steve Weisfeld and Dave Moretti scored it 115-113 for Alvarez, which seemed fair. I scored it 114-114 but could see 115-113 for Alvarez, a fair decision due to the fact Golovkin did more boxing than punching, unlike in their first fight.
The worst decision I have seen and was in attendance also was in November of 1976 when WBC World Super Featherweight champion Alfredo Escalera of Puerto Rico came to Philadelphia and got a disputed decision over Philly’s Tyrone Everett.
Puerto Rico’s judge Wiso Fernandez scored it to Escalera 146-143, Mexico’s Ray Solis scored it for Everett 148-146, and Pennsylvania judge Lou Tress scored it 145-143 for Escarlera and never judged a fight again. I had it a lopsided 13-2 in rounds for Everett.
IBHOF Promoter J Russell Peltz agreed with me it was the worst decision he had witnessed, followed by, in no particular order, Louis-Walcott l, Kid Gavilan-Billy Graham lll, Harold Johnson-Willie Pastrano, Whitaker-Ramirez l, Whitaker-Chavez, Holyfield-Lewis l, and Bob Foster-Jorge Ahumada.
IBHOF Manager Jim Jacobs told me the worst was Johnson-Pastrano and he had the series “Greatest Fight Films of the Century.”
Former Ring Correspondent and a long-time writer Jeff Jowett agreed with Escarlera-Everett, followed by a well-known one in Atlantic City in June of 1973 when Chuck “Bayonne Bleeder” Wepner was given the 7-5 decision over Ernie Terrell by referee Harold Valan.
As far as a referee’s showing partiality, I witnessed in Atlantic City in April of 2019 when Claressa “T-Rex” Shields was on the receiving end of Christina Hammer’s offense referee Sparkle Lee immediately came between them.
The other one that comes to mind was in November of 1969 when Louis Manuel Rodriguez was stopped from any serious offense by Italian referee Domenico Carabellese if a left hook from Rodriguez hit Italy’s Nino Benvenutti.
I’ve witnessed a riot after Philly favorite from Broomall, PA, Augie Pantellas got the decision over Ruben de Jesus in March of 1970 when the latter’s fans started throwing things.
Let’s hope if it’s a decision in tonight’s Golovkin-Alvarez third meeting, it’s a fair one.
