The highly anticipated rematch between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn this Saturday is already mired in controversy, with the confirmation of one ringside judge who was involved in a decision branded a 'joke' just two weeks ago.
The Controversial Appointment
The British Boxing Board of Control has confirmed that Howard Foster, John Latham, and Marcus McDonnell will be the three judges scoring the fight from ringside in north London. All eyes, however, are on Marcus McDonnell following his role in the Joshua Buatsi vs Zach Parker light-heavyweight clash on 1 November in Manchester.
In a scrappy contest that most observers believed was won by underdog Zach Parker, the boxing world was left stunned when Buatsi was declared the winner by majority decision. McDonnell scored the fight 96-94 to Buatsi, a verdict that mirrored that of visiting judge Salvador Salva.
Outrage and Disbelief
The decision was met with immediate and widespread criticism. Former world champion Carl Frampton, on punditry duty for DAZN, was left perplexed, revealing he had given Buatsi just a single round on his personal scorecard.
"For someone like me, who has been around boxing all of my life, I cannot understand that decision," Frampton stated during the broadcast.
An emotional Zach Parker did not hold back in his post-fight comments, stating, "Everyone’s got eyes, so they can see the fight. He can’t even land a clean shot on me. I should be champion." He added, "I am only in boxing to better my family’s life, so you’ll take it away from me is a joke."
History of High-Profile Interventions
McDonnell is not the only official for Saturday's rematch with a recent controversial call. Veteran judge and referee Howard Foster was the third man in the ring for the heavyweight clash between Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley on 25 October.
Foster halted the fight in the 11th round with Wardley on the attack, a decision that was widely condemned on social media, though backed by the British Boxing Board of Control. Foster is also infamous for his controversial stoppage in the first Carl Froch vs George Groves fight in 2013.
This backdrop adds significant pressure to the Eubank Jr vs Benn rematch, a sequel to Eubank Jr's unanimous decision victory in April, where all three judges scored it 116-112. With the judges now under intense scrutiny, the potential for another contentious outcome looms large over this grudge match.
