Cortez caught in a storm

Lorenzo: Left in a mess before being declared the winner

I'll have to look at the replay to see if he went down on his own, but he went down from a combination of punches. Whether it was a late reaction or whatever he went down. And you can't hit a man when he's down.

Joe Cortez
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Joe Cortez was at the centre of another refereeing storm as Humberto Soto was disqualified to leave a battered Francisco Lorenzo with the WBC's interim super-featherweight title.

The man from the Dominican Republic was confirmed as the likely successor to Manny Pacquiao as the bonafide champion but fewer world titles will have been won amid such farcical scenes.

And the man at the centre of it all was Cortez. Castigated in this country for his handling of Ricky Hatton-Floyd Mayweather, the veteran again suggested that his 'firm but fair' methods have seen better days.

The flashpoint came four rounds in when Soto stepped up a gear, having already floored his man once.

Another onslaught in the corner saw Cortez jump in to wave the fight off and then change his mind instantly. Lorenzo then took a voluntary knee but with the referee slow to come between them this time, Soto continued to punch.

One just about glanced the back of the head before the official finally stepped in and stopped the fight. Soto thought he had won, Lorenzo, with blood pouring from a huge gash on his right eyelid and his nose just as messy, cleverly made the most of the late shot.

He sat in the corner rubbing the back of his head while the Mandalay Bay crowd were left scratching theirs as Cortez did not rule a stoppage or a knockdown or administer a warning to Soto, who was already celebrating.

Instead he headed for a ringside huddle with Nevade State Commision and WBC officials which lasted at least five minutes. Still Lorenzo sat in a puddle of his own blood without medical attention and still Soto thought he had won, but after elongated discussions, MC Michael Buffer announced the disqualification - for hitting a man when he was down.

It was hard to tell which fighter was surprised the most, but a little less shocking was Cortez's willingness to go on TV to explain his 'decision'.

"The fighter (Lorenzo) was actually taking a pounding and had he (Soto) not hit him when he was down, the fight would've been over - and he hit him while he was down" he told HBO. "I had no choice.

"The rule says if you hit your opponent while he's down, you may be docked a point or disqualified. There's no wiggle on that.

"I'll have to look at the replay to see if he went down on his own, but he went down from a combination of punches. Whether it was a late reaction or whatever he went down. And you can't hit a man when he's down.

"From my angle it looked like a hard punch and he reacted to it. From my angle, my position, he was hit on the back of the head."