Legendary Announcer Defends One of the Most ‘Scandalous’ Moments in Boxing History

Boxing can be a brutal sport as fighters literally put their bodies on the line while trading blows. Things can go downhill very quickly as the adrenaline pumps up. One only has to look back at the second fight in the Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder trilogy to see how fighters accumulate damage in the ring. Wilder left the ring with a broken eardrum and a cut on his ear. So the role of referees becomes much more important as only they can judge the situation correctly and intervene on time.

One can also look at the result of the Emile Griffith vs Benny Kid Paret fight to understand what can happen if the referee makes an error in his judgment. That fight which ended in Paret’s death because of a barrage of shots landing on his body without the referee intervening can serve as a haunting example of the brutality of the sport. However, that is not the only time the boxing world got to witness a fighter taking horrifying punishment due to the fault of the referee.

Recently, the video of an old fight between Ray Mercer and Tommy Morrison resurfaced once again. Various boxing accounts shared the video of the brutal damage received by Morrison. This video caused a lot of people to criticize the referee of the fight, Tony Perez. People even called it the most ‘scandalous’ moment in history. Legendary announcer Michael Buffer then stepped up to defend Perez on Twitter.

Micheal Buffer comes out to defend referee Tony Perez

Buffer who is known for his phrase, “Let’s get ready to rumble!” came forward in support of Perez amidst the vast criticism he is receiving. Perez was criticized by fans for not stopping Mercer and allowing the beating to continue for 28 seconds! Buffer retweeted the video recently uploaded by Top Rank Boxing.

The renowned ring announcer in his Tweet revealed that he was present in person at the fight. He wrote, “Perhaps the most devastating & brutal HW KO”. He described the knockout as the most brutal and devastating he had ever witnessed.

Moreover, Buffer implored people not to blame the referee for the delayed reaction, citing the explosive and rapid nature of the final punch barrage. Buffer pleaded, “Please don’t blame referee Tony Perez for late intervention as the final punch barrage was explosive & rapid!”.

He asked fans to consider the fact that slow-motion replays are different from live-action. The legendary announcer ended his statement by paying his respects to the fallen boxer, Tommy “Duke” Morrison.

He added, “Slow motion replay is not live action-keep that in mind when viewing! R.I.P. Tommy “Duke” Morrison🕊💔”.

Read More: If Not Mike Tyson or Deontay Wilder, Then Who Is the Best Knockout Artist in Boxing History?

What do you think about the match? Do you think Perez should be criticized for his lapse of judgment or do you think fans went a bit too far? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

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