Nevada Athletic Commission would treat Foreman injury differently

The serious knee injury that Yuri Foreman suffered in Saturday's bout against Miguel Cotto at Yankee Stadium would have been handled differently if the fight were in Nevada.

Cotto scored a ninth-round technical knockout victory for the WBA super welterweight title after Foreman twice slipped on the slick canvas in the seventh, tearing the meniscus and injuring ligaments in his right knee.

Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission, said officials here would have taken more immediate action in the event of such an injury that rendered a fighter incapable of moving.

"I'm sure our physicians would have worked with the referee to determine the extent of the injury and see if the fighter was able to continue," Kizer said. "In Nevada, only the referee can stop the fight, but the referee can consult with the ringside physician."

Kizer said he did not see the Foreman-Cotto fight. But he's aware of the bizarre circumstances that transpired from the first time Foreman slipped and fell in the seventh round until referee Arthur Mercante Jr. finally stopped the bout 42 seconds into the ninth after Cotto tagged Foreman with a big shot to the body.

In between, Foreman's leg buckled, and he fell again in the eighth round without being hit.

His trainer, Joe Grier, threw a towel into the ring in an attempt to stop the fight. But Mercante refused to acknowledge the act and, after several confusing minutes, had the ring cleared and allowed the fight to continue.

"In Nevada, it's a foul to throw a towel into the ring," Kizer said. "It could cause an injury, and you don't know who is doing the throwing.

"I don't know the protocol in New York, but here we have our inspectors talk to the head trainer or chief second, and if they want the fight stopped, the chief second and the inspector walk up to the ring apron and tell the referee."

Kizer said the procedure is carefully explained to all fighters and their camps before every title fight.

Grier said after the fight he did what he did to protect his fighter after the inspector in his corner refused to acknowledge his request to stop the fight.

Grier was dismayed that after Foreman was hurt in the seventh round the ringside physician didn't check him out closer before letting him continue.

"I didn't understand it," Grier said of the fight not being stopped. "He obviously was hurt, and he was a sitting duck at that point."

Had the fight ended because of injury, it would have gone to the scorecards, where Cotto led 69-64, 69-64 and 68-65 going into the eighth round. When Mercante stopped it in the ninth, Cotto led 78-74, 79-73 and 79-73.

Melvina Lathan, chairperson of the New York State Athletic Commission, did not return phone calls Thursday seeking comment.

Foreman will undergo knee surgery today in New York. His manager, Murray Wilson, said the former champ hopes to return to the ring by February.

"We don't want to rush him back," Wilson said Thursday. "I don't know who we'll fight, but we'd like to see him fight for a title."

Saturday's loss might be a blessing in disguise for Foreman. He initially injured his right knee in a bicycle crash when he was 15 and living in Israel. Because he had no health insurance at the time, he never got the proper treatment.

"The doctor says he'll be better than ever," Wilson said. "He'll be able to punch harder with his knee fixed."

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