The referee allowed a repeated kick to the face while the opponent was down, ultimately awarding victory on points to the offender.
On 30 Jan 2026, the Facebook page "Mr. Pong" shared a controversial clip from a boxing ring where the red corner boxer grappled and caused the blue corner to lose balance and fall, with both gloves touching the canvas. However, the referee did not stop or intervene as per protocol, allowing the red corner to land a full kick to the face while the opponent was down. The blue corner collapsed, prompting the referee to count and ultimately raise the red corner's hand in victory, causing public outcry.
As soon as the clip circulated, boxing fans criticized the referee's conduct in this fight, viewing the decision as unethical and ignoring athlete safety. Standard rules for both Muay Thai and Western boxing state that if a fighter falls or any part of their body except the feet touches the canvas, the referee must stop the fight and separate the fighters. In this case, the referee allowed repeated attacks that caused injury and led to a distorted scoring outcome.
This incident caused significant dissatisfaction within the boxing community, leading to demands for an ethics review of the referee involved to prevent setting a dangerous precedent that could undermine standards.