Nothing's More Fun Than A Boxing Controversy!

There's nothing quite like a good ol' fashioned boxing fix, especially when it's extremely obvious. There's something almost pure about how it simultaneously deceives and yet has the balls to not even care if anyone notices. Last night's fight in Montreal between Canadian Lucian Bute and Mexican-American Librado Andrade for the IBF super middleweight title featured such a moment of brilliance. Let's bring you up to speed with what went down, via The Queensbury Rules:

For 10 out 11 rounds, Canada's Lucian Bute completely controlled fellow super middleweight (168 lbs.) Librado Andrade, even if Andrade was wearing him down and puffing up his face. Then, in the 12th and final round, after a pure battering that Andrade suddenly put on Bute in the final minute that rendered Bute out on his feet for about the final 30 seconds, at around 0:02, Andrade finally knocked down Bute.

But from there, the actions of the referee became very suspect. Marlon B. Wright - a name that will soon take on the same resonance in the boxing world that Tim Donaughy has in basketball - delayed started the count on Bute for about five seconds while he ushered Andrade into his corner. During the count, while Bute was still coming to, Wright paused for another few moments to tell Andrade to get back in his corner. By the time he got back to it, Bute was up, the match was over, and Bute won by the scorecards. In all, the 10-count lasted about 20 or so seconds Best of all, there's video!

The substantial issue, and the one that may affect us all, is the nationality of the referee: He's from Canada, just like Bute. Are we on the verge of the long-speculated Canadian-American continental war? Is this our generation's Archduke Franz Ferdinand moment? Unbelievably Dramatic And Controversial Ending In Bute Victory Over Andrade [The Queensbury Rules] Referee Marlon B. Wright ruins sensational finish in Montreal [Bad Left Hook]