Atlas in another epic rant about boxing 'corruption'

Boxing expert Teddy Atlas has lost his mind over "corruption" in boxing in the wake of the controversial draw between Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez.

The eagerly anticipated middleweight showdown in Las Vegas failed to produce a clear winner, with judge Adalaide Byrd drawing widespread criticism for scoring the bout 118-110 in favour of challenger Canelo.

Dave Moretti gave it 115-113 to WBA, WBC, IBF and IBO middleweight champion Golovkin, while Don Trella had it as a 114-114 draw.

The result prompted disbelief and anger from expert observers and armchair critics alike, and has left Byrd's top-level judging career in doubt.

Analysing the fight for Sportscenter on ESPN, Atlas and Stephen A. Smith went toe-to-toe in a fiery confrontation about where they thought the blame lay.

Stehen A.Smith tried to make sense of the controversial split draw ruling, insisting that it was simply the one errant judge whose scoring caused the issue.

"Wherever there is big money, there is corruption, we understand that," Smith said.

"That's not restricted to the sport of boxing. At the end of the day they got in the ring, they fought valiantly for 12 rounds. We have a problem with one judge’s decision. It’s one judge’s decision."

Atlas wasn't having any of it though and rather than appease the boxing expert, Smith's explanation merely set him off on an incredible rant about corruption in the sport.

"There's money to be made in the casino business but there is an oversight board to make sure there is no corruption," Atlas began by saying.

"There is no oversight board in boxing. There is no commission. There is no national commission, no federal guidelines, nobody looking and saying, ah, can’t do that. You can’t be in charge.

"A promoter can't be in charge of who the judges are going to be. No, of course you want these judges. You can’t be in charge. We’re in charge.

"We're going to oversee and police it. We’re going to make sure there is no corruption. There is nothing."

Boxing officials announced that the judge at the centre of the furore, Adalaide Byrd, would be disciplined over the fight, but suggested she would return ringside at some point in the future.

"I'm not going to put her right back in," Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Bob Bennett was quoted as telling the Los Angeles Times.

"She'll still be in the business… but she needs to catch her breath.

"Unfortunately, she didn't do well. I can tell you she conducts training for us, takes judges under her wing … but her score was too wide."

Atlas's epic rant brought back memories of his now infamous post-fight spray against Jeff Horn after the Aussie fighter's win against Manny Pacquiao.