- Terence Crawford and a former champion on the broadcast have criticised referee Thomas Taylor for stopping Fundora v Hadribeaj at 2:59 of round 12
- Hadribeaj, 23-0-1 going in, got to his feet before ten but the referee waved it off, and the debate has not died down since
- My view: the call was harsh but the result stands, and the only argument that matters now is Fundora v Jaron Ennis
Crawford Challenges The Fundora Stoppage
Right then. Three days on from Las Vegas, the arguments about Sebastian Fundora stopping Ermal Hadribeaj at 2:59 of round 12 are not going away. Terence Crawford said Hadribeaj had got to his feet and deserved to go the distance, and a fellow former champion on the broadcast said referee Thomas Taylor had an off night, even while praising him as one of the best in the business.
We covered the finish on the night in our Fundora stops Hadribeaj report, and I backed the referee then. I still do, but let’s be fair, the criticism is not daft.
Why The Stoppage Divides Opinion
Hadribeaj was unbeaten at 23-0-1 coming in, he had lost points for holding in rounds three and eleven, and he looked a man hanging on. Fundora, though, looked in control and the fight appeared to be heading for a clear decision. Then a long, straight left dropped Hadribeaj right at the death and Taylor ended it without a full count.
The Case For Taylor
A referee has to protect a fighter first. When a man has been hurt by a punch that big, and he has been taking sustained punishment from a 6ft 5in southpaw all night, waving it off is defensible. Nobody wants to see a fighter take one more shot just to hear a scorecard.
The Case For Crawford
The counter is fair as well. Hadribeaj was up, he was on his feet, and ending a title fight with a single second left feels like robbing the champion of a clean decision and the challenger of the final bell. If the rules say it is a count, then count it.
The Bigger Fight Is Fundora v Ennis
Here is what matters. The result is not changing, and Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis is due to face Josh Kelly. If Ennis wins, Fundora v Ennis is the fight for the division. Crawford has said Ennis is too fast for Fundora, and I have a lot of sympathy for that argument.
My Prediction
I will not sit on the fence. Ennis beats Kelly, the Fundora fight gets made, and Ennis takes a clear decision with speed and shot selection. Fundora has the size and the volume to make it proper hard work for him, but Ennis is levels above on the quality of his boxing. Make no mistake, that is the fight to watch in 2027.