Referee takes beating for Soto bout ruling

Joe Cortez has taken such a public beating in the aftermath of his decision to disqualify Humberto Soto and award the decision to Francisco Lorenzo in their WBC interim super featherweight title bout June 28 at Mandalay Bay, it was as though Cortez had been fighting instead of officiating.

The veteran Las Vegas referee is fighting back, claiming he did his job according to the rules.

"I'm comfortable with my decision," Cortez said Thursday from Hawaii, where he was on vacation with his family. "The doctors said Lorenzo was unable to keep fighting. I couldn't let it continue, so I had no choice but to disqualify Soto."

Soto, a prohibitive 9-1 favorite, was on the verge of scoring a knockout late in the fourth round. The fighters were in close, and Lorenzo appeared to be looking to tie up Soto in a clinch.

Cortez moved in to break up the clinch. Only there was nothing to break up, as Lorenzo dropped to one knee for what would have been the second knockdown of the round. As Lorenzo's knee was making contact with the canvas, Soto unleashed a left uppercut that missed, then threw an overhand right that connected with the back of Lorenzo's head.

The punch didn't appear to be that hard, but Lorenzo fell on his back and lay prone. Doctors Anthony Ruggeroli and David Watson jumped into the ring to attend to Lorenzo as Cortez conferred with Nevada Athletic Commission chairman John Bailey and executive director Keith Kizer. Soto stood in a neutral corner, confused by what was unfolding.

Cortez's options were if Lorenzo were allowed to continue, he would have deducted one or two points from Soto and the fight would have gone on. If the doctors said Lorenzo could not continue, he would have to disqualify Soto for an illegal blow. Watson said Lorenzo was unable to continue, and Cortez disqualified Soto.

"How could I go against the doctors?" Cortez said. "I couldn't. Dr. Watson said he couldn't continue because of the concussed blow to the head he received."

Moments after the decision was announced, Lorenzo leaped to his feet and raised his arms in exultation as many in the crowd of 8,362 booed lustily. It appeared he had duped Cortez, the doctors and the commission.

"I saw the punch behind the head," Cortez said. "How hard was it? Only Lorenzo knows."

Kizer said Cortez did nothing wrong in applying the rules.

"Procedurally, he was correct," Kizer said. "I don't know how bad Lorenzo was hurt. We have to trust our doctors. If they say a man is hurt and can't continue, we have to believe what they're telling us.

"If Lorenzo fooled us, he fooled us."

But the WBC isn't buying any of it. It refused to award the belt to Lorenzo and called for an immediate rematch. Lorenzo is threatening to sue the WBC to get the belt.

Top Rank's Bob Arum, who promoted the fight, said he wants nothing to do with a second Soto-Lorenzo bout.

"Are you kidding?" Arum said. "I wouldn't do that fight. It's a total mismatch."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.