LAS VEGAS (AFP) – Embattled judge C.J. Ross has stepped down from her job scoring professional boxing matches in the aftermath of criticism over the way she handled the Floyd Mayweather/Saul Alvarez title fight.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Wednesday that Ross emailed Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer on Tuesday to request an indefinite leave of absence.
Ross scored Saturday’s super welterweight match 114-114 in a fight that the undefeated Mayweather dominated for the most part en route to a majority decision.
She gave six rounds to champ Alvarez and was the lone judge of the three to score the eighth round in favour of the Mexican.
She also penalized Mayweather heavily for his inactivity in the first few rounds and for not throwing many punches in the final rounds.
The other two judges had it 117-111 and 116-112 in favour of challenger Mayweather.
The decision attracted a storm of criticism from Mayweather’s team towards Ross, who has been judging fights for 22 years.
This is not the first time the 64-year-old Ross has come under heavy scrutiny for the way she scored a championship fight.
She was one of two judges that enabled Timothy Bradley to earn a split decision over Manny Pacquiao in a 2012 fight that many thought the Filipino star won.
The newspaper said Ross’ boxing judging license expires at the end of the year.
Photo Credit: AFP/Jeff Bottari
