Keith Kizer: I will not suspend Russell Mora for Agbeko-Mares bout performance – Boxing news
The executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission, Keith Kizer, has revealed he is not going to suspend the referee Russell Mora for the alleged incompetence that he showed in the mega showdown between Joseph Agbeko and Abner Mares.
The bout took place for the International Boxing Federation’s and World Boxing Council’s Silver title at the Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, August 13, 2011.
Mora was seen ignoring a lot of low punches which were given to Agbeko’s body from Mares. Mora also counted a knockdown for Agbeko when he simply hit the canvas going off balance and apart from a lot of other mistakes a real low point came in the 11th round.
Agbeko was forced to hit the canvas in the eleventh round as he was hit right on the cup in front of the referee, but it was assessed as a knockdown by Mora. Therefore, everyone including boxing promoter, Don King, is very critical about Russell Mora’s refereeing.
However, after all of this Kizer has still rejected a subsequent request for the suspension of Mora by King’s organisation, as he believes Mora will learn from his mistakes and will improve in future.
“In a situation like this, the referee needs to get with me and also with some of the senior referees here in Nevada, which I’m encouraging, to learn from this performance and improve in the future,” Kizer said. “He’ll need to take his time coming back and
build himself back up. I have a very high confidence he’ll be able to do so.”
Meanwhile, King was not happy at all with Kizer’s decision because he reckons it was total corruption and Agbeko along with millions who were watching around the world have been disappointed.
King remarked, “He loves Russell Mora? He loves him? Can you believe that?” King said. “Is that why Russell Mora looked the other way the 49 times when Mares hit [Agbeko] with a low blow? He loves him? I can’t believe that.”
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