Boxing Officials Send Strong Message to Referee After Tony Ferguson vs. Salt Papi Controversial Stoppage

“In terms of boxing, I think Salt has got a puncher’s chance, for sure. But we’re taking all those elements away, making sure we cross our t’s and dot our i’s.” That was Tony Ferguson, brushing off doubts like he brushes off father time. With an eight-fight skid in the UFC and fans practically begging him to hang up the gloves, the 41-year-old still marched into his debut boxing match against Nathaniel ‘Salt Papi’ Bustamante last weekend with trademark confidence. 

The fight opened as many anticipated – Tony Ferguson showed flashes in the early rounds, but Salt Papi controlled the action from the start. Then came the turning point in round three. Out of nowhere, ‘El Cucuy’ unleashed a barrage of punches, driving Papi onto the ropes. Although the 31-year-old looked pressured, he never appeared out of the fight. Still, the referee suddenly jumped in and waved it off. With that, Ferguson was declared the interim Misfits middleweight champion – but the stoppage has since drawn heavy backlash.

Tony Ferguson won’t like this 

Since the fight, the stoppage has been a major talking point across social media, especially on TikTok. Referee Jack Goodwin—who also officiated at Misfits 22 in Manchester’s AO Arena—joined the discussion, admitting that even some of his fellow officials questioned the call. Responding to a fan comment, Goodwin wrote, “Some of the other officials thought it was a bit premature too!!”

Despite the controversy, Ferguson behaved like his victory wasn’t down to luck but to his skills and preparation. Overcome with emotion, he dropped to his knees after the fight. “Everybody that bet against me, I guess they’re kicking their a— right now,” he said. “Being real, being an underdog, coming through here, being super nervous at the beginning of camp, and then just trusting the process with my coaches and my cornermen.”

He added, “We came out of here, we did what we wanted to do. And it was a good reminder of who I am—I’m a fighter.” Now, Ferguson is fielding multiple offers from all sides. Influencer boxer Slim Albaher and MMA fighter Dillon Danis, who defeated Warren Spencer on the same card, are both pushing to face him next. Meanwhile, Salt Papi has also broken his silence on the outcome.

Salt Papi criticizes the early stoppage

The 31-year-old isn’t happy with how his fight against Ferguson ended. After his loss, Papi immediately pushed back on the decision, claiming that the stoppage was premature and that he was never in any serious danger. “I think I did well,” he told Fred Talks Fighting. “I think it was the ref. I felt like it was an early stoppage.” 

“I didn’t get hurt. Not even a scratch on my face. That’s not more beating than Ferrari and Slim and the others… [That referee] would have stopped me in the first round.” The defeat brings Papi’s record to 6-3, while Ferguson celebrated his win in his boxing debut. It’s yet to be seen if it can hold on to the winning column. 

It appears Tony Ferguson finally managed to end his losing streak – not necessarily because he proved to be the better fighter, but due to a questionable stoppage. The real question now is: should Ferguson continue fighting, or was this more of an exception than a comeback?