Fair, Firm, and Unemployed

By Robert Ecksel on September 30, 2011

The WBO president decided it would be best for all concerned if Joe Cortez was replaced

Referee Joe Cortez isn’t the only one in boxing who is fair but firm.

After being designated referee for the Oct. 8 bout between WBO junior flyweight champion Ramon Garcia Hirales (16-2-1, 9 KOs) and Donnie “Ahas” Nietes (28-1-3, 16 KOs), the WBO had second thoughts about Cortez’s competence, which they gratefully and decisively acted upon.

Cortez was the third man in the ring during the Mayweather-Ortiz fiasco and has been lambasted for losing control of the fight. That he was given another plum assignment, with neither a slap on the wrist or reeducation, seemed a miscalculation that was not fair, firm, nor justified.

WBO president Francisco “Paco” Valcarel decided that it would be best for all concerned—the fighters, the fans, and the WBO—if Cortez was replaced, and referee Robert Byrd will take over his duties.

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Comments

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Jermey Tebow 02:49pm, 02/15/2012

Cortez is the embodiment of crony capitalism. He just happens to be in boxing, not for the sake of merit mind you.
Gajjers 10:42pm, 11/03/2011

While I agree that Cortez dropped the ball somewhat in a couple of high-profile fights, shouldn’t the fair-but-firm approach by governing bodies apply across the board to hold any weight, like Juicy Peach suggests? Even the ref who handled Hopkins-Dawson goofed big-time in my opinion. It doesn’t look good for the sport when the arbiters slip up so badly & so frequently…
Juicy Peach 05:26am, 10/03/2011

David I did say this was just my opinion. I’m just saying what he looked like at the end of the fight. Both fighters got knocked down but only one of the was out of breath and sweating badly. I record fights and watch them again to make sure I see what I thought I saw. Like I said it is just my opinion. If you don’t record fights, start recording them and take another look at them. You just might be suprised at what took place the second time you see them. Would even love to talk to you on the phone. It would only be about boxing. I used to have a friend to talk about boxing but he left so I don’t have anyone to share my real thoughts with! lol
David Matthew 02:58pm, 10/02/2011

Peach - I’m not sure what you’re implying…are you saying Ortiz was on something? (PEDs)?
Juicy Peach 12:55pm, 10/02/2011

Mr. Matthew, If you are in a fight, any fight for that matter, would you not protect yourself and especially since it’s a championship fight? The guy seemed he didn’t mind giving up his belt. He lost it on the first defense. I don’t believe he won it fairly with Berto. This is just my opinion. When the fight was over, this guy wasn’t breathing hard or even sweating that hard nor was he out of breath. Made me wonder what was going on with him. Berto was sweating profusely while Ortiz was just barely sweating and breathing normal; they WERE in the same fight. Can you tell me what you saw in that fight?
David Matthew 06:05pm, 10/01/2011

I’m pleased to see Cortez take a hit - while he may have motioned for time to be in - he was not definitive and lost control of the fight….He should have definitively brought the fighters together - made them touch gloves and then said ‘fight!’ - he did none of that.
Juicy Peach 06:58am, 10/01/2011

You guys need to take another look at that film slowly and see that Joe Cortez had motioned for the fight to continue. He was also calling for time in. There was not that much riff when Russell Mora called a fight between Agbecko and Mares when he let Mares keep doing the low-blows! Why wasn’t he fired?!! I believe the only reason that everyone is so miffed is that Ortiz is young and looked on as white and that he had a hard time growing up; but who hasn’t. Give Cortez his job back and let him continue to referee. A lot of fans don’t like Floyd because he has a mouth and flaunts what he has. Arrogant, and sometimes obnoxious. But he is what he is.

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Fighter's Info

Ramon Garcia Hirales
Donnie Nietes

Country	Mexico
Date of Birth(Age)	1982.09.10 (30)
Rated at	Light Flyweight
W-L-D	W16+L4+D1=21

Last fights:

Date	Opponent	WLD	Result	Rnds.
2012.04.28	Roman Gonzalez	31-0-0	L(TKO)	4/12
2011.10.08	Donnie Nietes	28-1-3	L(UD)	12/12
2011.04.30	Jesus Geles	12-1-1	W(KO)	4/12
2011.02.05	Jesus Geles	11-1-1	L(SD)	12/12
2010.12.18	Omar Soto	15-6-1	W(UD)	12/12
2010.09.25	Manuel Vargas	28-5-1	W(MD)	12/12

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Date	Opponent	WLD	Result	Rnds.
2011.10.08	Ramon Garcia Hirales	16-2-1	W(UD)	12/12
2011.04.09	Armando Vazquez	18-5-0	W(KO)	1/10
2010.08.14	Mario Rodriguez	10-5-3	W(UD)	12/12
2010.01.23	Jesus Silvestre	15-1-0	W(TKO)	10/10
2009.09.12	Manuel Vargas	26-3-1	W(SD)	12/12
2009.02.28	Erik Ramirez	25-5-1	W(UD)	12/12

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Fight results

Fighters	Result	Rounds	Record
Melissa McMorrow Susi Kentikian	WMD	10/10x2	(6-3-3) (29-0-0)
Sahlan Coral Rocky Alap Alap	WTKO	3/12	(5-1-0) (4-7-0)
Hendrik Aritonang Koko Siagian	WSD	12/12	(2-16-1) (0-3-0)
Arga Soka Ade Alfons	LUD	12/12	(1-3-1) (14-15-3)
Een Nuryanto Ricky Manufoe	LKO	10/12	(0-2-0) (13-14-2)
Ramadhan Weriu Darsim Nanggala	LTKO	8/12	(10-5-1) (6-12-3)
Roberto Gonzales Ryan Sermona	LTKO	5/10	(20-0-0) (12-3-0)
Oscar Raknafa Boy Tanto	WPTS	12/12	(4-3-0) (4-10-0)
Omar Nino Romero Brian Viloria	LTKO	9/12	(31-4-2) (30-3-0)
Dado Cabintoy Dayer Gabutan	LUD	12/12	(9-2-2) (17-1-2)

Real Name	Donnie Liboon Nietes
Country	Philippines
Date of Birth(Age)	1982.05.13 (30)
Rated at	Light Flyweight
W-L-D	W29+L1+D3=33
Height	5 feet 3 inches
Trainer	Dan Nietes

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