Some fans and boxing figures believe that, to escape an embarrassing rout in front of a home crowd, especially when he is so close to a title shot, referee Kieran McCann let Ben Whittaker off the hook. While the Olympic silver medalist won the fight against Conor Wallace by a unanimous decision, his performance, particularly during the final round, has come under intense scrutiny.

“Seriously, WHAT IN THEEEE F**K is this referee?!” read a tweet by AboutBoxing host Matt Lenihan.

The post featured footage from the twelfth round. While Whittaker appeared to lead on the scorecards, the situation inside the ring told a different story.

Whittaker hit the canvas three times while trying to survive Wallace’s pressure. Yet none was ruled a knockdown by referee Kieran McCann. Several reports suggested at least one fall could have warranted a count.

Both Whittaker and his promoter, Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn, have expressed interest in a rematch. While the team views it as a prelude to a potential matchup against champion Dmitry Bivol, some believe the move is an attempt to settle the score with Wallace.

The Wallace fight was not Whittaker’s first bout to draw scrutiny over officiating.

His two meetings with Liam Cameron also became part of that conversation. Their 2024 bout ended after the pair tumbled over the ropes in Round 5, leaving Whittaker injured and unable to continue. Unable to apply applicable rules, the fight went to scorecards and became a technical split draw. Cameron later accused Whittaker of seeking an escape.

Months later, when they regrouped on April 20, 2025, referee Howard Foster stopped the fight in Round 2 while Cameron remained upright but under sustained attack. The move came under criticism, as some felt the intervention came too early.

Whittaker’s fights are not the only recent British boxing bouts to produce major officiating controversies involving home fighters.

In 2023, Leigh Wood stopped Josh Warrington after referee Michael Alexander ended the bout despite Warrington rising from a knockdown. Warrington protested the decision.

In 2026, Deontay Wilder criticized Mark Bates after his split decision win over Derek Chisora, citing repeated fouls and a corner intrusion. The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) later cleared Bates of disciplinary action. Similarly, the rematch between Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall brought a judging controversy and a downgrade for Ian John-Lewis.

Howard Foster’s 2013 stoppage of George Groves against Carl Froch remains one of Britain’s most notorious refereeing controversies.

As of now, there is no formal statement from the BBBofC or any sanctioning body regarding referee McCann’s handling of the Whittaker-Wallace fight.

Fans and a few prominent names from the sport, meanwhile, made their views clear.

Ben Whittaker-Conor Wallace finale ignites officiating backlash

While boxing journalist and podcaster Cynthia Conte simply wrote, “Whack AF,” Hall of Fame broadcaster and commentator Al Bernstein pointed to an issue many boxing followers have become increasingly aware of.

“This is simply a bias referee trying to save a house fighter. I seldom speak in these terms, but THAT is what this represents 100%,” Bernstein said. His comments brought to mind past cases involving controversial officiating.

The most notable saw veteran referee Carlos Padilla admitting that he deliberately prolonged the count after Nedal Hussein knocked down Manny Pacquiao in 2000 and acknowledged a Pacquiao headbutt as a punch.

Similarly, Robin Reid’s 2003 loss to Sven Ottke featured a disputed knockdown ruling and controversial point deduction.

Decades earlier, the Dempsey-Tunney “Long Count” stemmed from Dempsey failing to reach the neutral corner. In the 1990 title fight against Mike Tyson, Buster Douglas received extra recovery time after referee Octavio Meyran’s delayed count.

The strongest criticism of the Whittaker-Wallace referee came from well-known matchmaker Rick Glaser.

“I was watching other sports on my TV Saturday while simultaneously watching the Ben Whittaker vs. Conor Wallace fight on my cellphone,” he wrote. “After watching the replay of Round 12 early this morning, I clearly saw Ben Whittaker legitimately knocked down 3 times in Round 12, & the referee Kieran McCann wrongly never called any of the knockdowns.

“Conor Wallace should have won by Round 12 TKO. Referee Kieran McCann of the UK is a “Homer” & horrible referee. McCann shouldn’t be allowed to referee any substantial fights going forward. Period. And the @IBFUSBAboxing should make serious note of that.

“He should have taken a count or (been) disqualified for throwing himself down and having on Wallace’s waist. I’d be surprised if he has the bottle to face (Dmitry Bivol),” a user wrote. Sharing similar sentiments, a fan added, “An 8-count at the very least. Insane that people are putting him at world level.”

The criticism centers on a basic question in boxing: what happens when a fighter repeatedly goes down without being clearly dropped by a punch?

A fighter trying to quit without absorbing a knockout may deliberately take a knee, even without being hit. Such an action can be treated as a knockdown. If the fighter repeatedly refuses to engage or uses intentional kneeling to avoid punishment, the referee can penalize him, stop the bout, or disqualify him.

Since the controversy against Liam Cameron in 2024, Whittaker has been on a four-fight win streak, all ending inside the distance. The run boosted his shot at the IBF title. It is possible some fans vented their anger because they were disappointed by his performance.

Against a champion of Bivol’s stature, people expect a fighter to meet certain standards. Whittaker likely failed to meet them from that perspective. While his performance clearly fell short of expectations, the referee’s alleged “help” has only made his case weaker.