Referee Mark Bates will face no disciplinary action from the British Boxing Board of Control following his widely criticized performance during Deontay Wilder’s split decision victory over Derek Chisora at The O2 Arena in London on Saturday night.
The board confirmed today that it will not pursue sanctions against Bates or any other officials connected to the event, despite the backlash that followed the heavyweight bout.
Wilder had called for Bates to be banned from refereeing after what he described as repeated failures to protect him throughout the fight. Speaking to the media, the former world champion said he was struck in the back of the head between 10 and 12 times without any intervention from the referee.
The controversy began in the opening round when Bates allowed Chisora’s coach to enter the ring, an incident that set the tone for what followed. The eighth round brought further scrutiny when Wilder scored a knockdown, only for a trainer to be seen propping up the retiring heavyweight, who also used the ropes to assist his return to his feet.
In the aftermath of that sequence, it was Wilder who had a point deducted. The decision led to a strong reaction on social media, particularly from fans from the US who felt the officiating was weighted heavily in favor of the home fighter.
Wilder revealed after the fight that he deliberately eased off on Chisora in the later rounds to avoid inflicting permanent damage following the knockdown, a decision that may have contributed to the bout going the distance. He secured the split decision victory but declined to announce his retirement from boxing in the aftermath.
