Woodall stopped too soon in title battle
Woodall’s expression says it all. Picture: Boxxer/Lawrence Lustig
THE row and controversy surrounding Steed Woodall’s British and Commonwealth title loss last night has become bigger than the result.
Fine super-middleweight champion Callum Simpson’s second round stoppage against a dangerous mandatory challenger is not the talking point. The action at Sheffield’s Park Community Arena has been submerged in a sea of social media outrage.
And that means both Simpson, from Barnsley, and the Birmingham underdog have been dealt an injustice.
I do not buy the old, gladiatorial adage that fighters should go out on their shields – a boxer’s health and safety is paramount - but agree with the consensus of on-line comments. Referee Mark Bates’ stoppage at one minute 56 seconds looked very premature.
It came too soon in the Boxxer promotions main event.
I am not claiming Woodall would’ve gone on to win: he sank to his knees from a combination seconds before and took a long count. Simpson may well have finished the job in that round.
But Mr Bates’ decision came, in my opinion, much too early. Woodall’s legs appeared strong, he was coping with Simpson’s follow-up, when the bout was waved off.
In a contest where no less than four belts were on the line, he deserved the opportunity to fight back. He was not rocking under a sustained barrage when time was called.
“It was an early stoppage,” the 30-year-old’s manager, Jon Pegg, said. “Steed’s gone down, got up, his eyes were clear, his legs were strong. Even the manner of the stoppage – the referee didn’t jump in, he just waved an arm as if he was unsure. If you look at it in slow motion, not a single punch during Callum Simpson’s follow-up landed.”
Pegg believes Woodall may even benefit from the avalanche of social media sympathy.
“This might provide opportunities,” he said. “If he’d been overwhelmed (in the ring) it would’ve been a different story. As it is, last time I looked there were 90 comments on Sky Sports social media posts saying it was a bad decision. It may create another opportunity.
“Steed is very disappointed. If every championship fight was stopped after a fighter was dropped, the sport would be deprived of some of the greatest victories in its history.
“And it hasn’t done Callum Simpson any favours. Look at the Sky Sports social media posts – people aren’t talking about a great win, they’re all saying this was a poor stoppage.”
Simpson sends Woodall to the canvas. Pic: Boxxer/Lawrence Lustig
Pegg’s views were mirrored by Birmingham’s former world title contender Matt Macklin, providing colour commentary for the scheduled 12 rounder.
"Even if he was going to go on and stop him, that wasn't the right time to stop it,” he told viewers.
"I think Callum Simpson was going to go on and win the fight, probably by stoppage, but it shouldn't have been stopped when it was."
Not surprisingly, Simpson, who dedicated the fight to sister Lily-Rae who died at just 19, felt the referee’s actions only speeded-up the inevitable.
He told Sky Sports: "If he didn't stop it then, we were going to stop it another half a second later," the champion said.
"For me it should have been stopped. At least Steed is alright and healthy. It was only going one way."
"I knocked him down. He was still on unsteady legs. Anyone who knows me knows he would have gone down again.
"The referee did his job and kept him safe. Obviously, Steed's going to argue, but that's a legit stoppage.
"It was only going one way."
And the simple fact is that record books will simply register the result, not the controversy. That means Woodall faces a long road back to the top.
I cannot state he was robbed of victory, but I do understand the anger and frustration he is feeling today.