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Chisora vs. Wilder: What did referee Mark Bates get wrong in heavyweight fight?
The dust may have settled on Deontay Wilder's win over Derek Chisora in the latter's final fight, but referee Mark Bates is still the topic of heated conversation.
In what was a chaotic 12 rounds at London's O2 Arena, Bates tried his best to keep the contest flowing, but there were certain decisions and actions which have drawn widespread criticism.
A few days removed from the final bell, DAZN News takes a look at what went wrong for Bates during Chisora vs. Wilder.
Bates failed to disqualify Chisora after cornermen entered the ring
The first error came in the fight's opening round when one of Chisora's cornermen entered the ring after 'War' and Wilder got tangled in the ropes.
This action should result in an automatic disqualification for Chisora, but Bates gave the cornerman time to leave the ring before letting the contest continue.
Wilder edges Chisora in entertaining slugfest
Watch fight highlights here
The decision to not punish cornermen entering the ring during a round could set a dangerous precedent.
It may not be an action replicated during marquee fight nights, but it could become a common sight on smaller shows if corner teams think they can get away with charging into the ring to get the referee's attention or help their fighter.
Chisora eye issue ignored by Bates in round three
Another eyebrow-raising moment from referee Bates was allowing Chisora to continue despite the British fighter signalling he could not see.
After being hurt by Wilder, and pinned in the corner, Chisora told Bates about an eye issue.
The referee briefly paused the fight to check Chisora was okay, before resuming the contest, and luckily for Chisora, he was saved by the bell.
It was very fortunate Chisora did not suffer a serious eye injury with no ringside doctor being given the chance to check 'War' and whether he was indeed fit to continue.
Wilder questions Bates' refereeing performance
Bates' conduct was subject to heavy criticism from Wilder, who believed the fight against Chisora should have been stopped in the third round.
“It’s crazy – I mean, you're looking at, if the ref was fair, you're looking at a third-round stoppage,” Wilder said.
The American then went on to claim he was subject to numerous hits to the back of the head.
“So many things went on. I got hit in the back of the head at least 10 to 12 different times, and then when I finally want to retaliate and hit back, you're pointing fingers at me, ‘Deontay don’t do that’.
"I'm like, ‘This man keeps hitting me in the back of the head.' I'm getting dizzy at times, but I'm bouncing back."
DAZNWilder then had one final statement when it came to whether Bates should be the man in the middle ever again.
"That referee shouldn't be able to ref again. That’s just my honest opinion."
Referee Bates not punished by British Boxing Board of Control
After a controversial refereeing performance from Bates, it was expected that the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) would take action.
However, as first reported by The Ring, general secretary Robert Smith said he was satisfied with Bates' performance and no punishment would be issued.
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