Photo by Julio Sanchez/RBRBoxing
According to numerous sources, boxing judge Adalaide Byrd has been temporarily stood down from any major fights after her controversial 118-110 scoring of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin fight this past Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.
“I’m not going to put her right back in. She’ll still be in the business but she needs to catch her breath,” said Bob Bennett, the executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission (per ESPN).
Critics have been harsh regarding Byrd’s inexplicable scores. Teddy Atlas went on one his most vicious rants on ESPN, voice trembling and all, as he called the decision–and Byrd’s card–corrupt.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Abel Sanchez, Oscar De La Hoya, Eric Gomez and Tom Loeffler all agreed as well–how could Canelo vs. Golovkin be scored 1o rounds to two?
“I think she turned in her scorecard before the fight started. I think she needs to go back to school and learn how to judge a fight,” said Sanchez.
“A lot of people are not understanding 118-110, just like myself. That’s the bottom line,” said De La Hoya during the post-fight press conference.
The other two judges who scored the fight were Dave Moretti, who scored it 115-113 for Golovkin, and Don Trella, who saw the bout a draw at 114-114.
The reaction to Byrd’s card is all too similar to that of C.J. Ross’ following her 114-114 score for the Floyd Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez fight. Ross retired after the criticism she received from that fight and others.
Header photo by Tom Hogan/Golden Boy Promotions
