The Story Of Saturday’s Ortiz-Lawson Stoppage Gets Even Stranger

By: Sean Crose

Virgil Ortiz’ return to the ring in opposition to Fredrick Lawson on Saturday took a wierd flip when referee Tony Weeks abruptly stopped the struggle. Whereas it was true that Lawson was taking a beating for the time being, he didn’t seem like a completed man. Even in a sport the place it’s higher to cease a struggle too quickly quite than too late, this one was a little bit of a headscratcher. Lawson, in spite of everything, didn’t appear to be taking the sort of immense punishment that might require the bout to be stopped at that individual second. For sure, followers and analysts alike had been baffled by the end result, with a lot ire being directed at Weeks for supposedly stopping the bout too quickly.

“What the general public didn’t know,” the veteran referee subsequently wrote in response to the blistering criticism, “that previous to the struggle they did a mind scan on him (Lawson), and it got here up that he had an aneurysm and so they did a take a look at once more and the identical aneurysm got here up, one other physician was introduced in and gave him the identical examination and he examined unfavorable for the aneurysm, in order that they cleared him to struggle.” This assertion, if true, is actually a sport changer in that it at the very least considerably vindicates Weeks, in addition to places the Nevada State Athletic Fee beneath the highlight. Is what Weeks mentioned true although? And is there extra to the state of affairs than he claims?

“Fredrick Lawson was cleared by a Nevada State Athletic Fee sanctioned physician to struggle on Saturday evening,” Golden Boy Promotions, which promoted the struggle, posted. “All different questions must be referred to NSAC.” And certainly, a supply at NSAC responded to Boxing Insider by stating merely that Lawson was cleared to struggle on Saturday evening. The supply additionally identified that the story includes medical data – not one thing to be handled frivolously for each authorized and moral causes. As of press time, Boxing Insider is awaiting a comply with up name from the Fee.

Whereas it’s true that Saturday’s bout ended up being clouded by confusion and controversy, there was little question that Ortiz seemed good for the quick period of time he fought (issues didn’t get previous the primary spherical, in spite of everything). An efficient jab, coupled with telling energy pictures and and intuition to convey issues to an early finish (although maybe not was early as they had been) made it unimaginable to disclaim the 20-0 Ortiz seemed sharp in opposition to the 30-4 Davis. As issues now stand, Ortiz hopes to get into the ring with spectacular junior middleweight titlist Tim Tszyu.