British boxing referee Amy Pu has faced criticism after twice refusing to stop a heavyweight bout when the corner of Dan Garber attempted to throw in the towel during his fight against Adam Olaniyan in London.
The contest took place on the undercard of Daniel Dubois’ victory over Fabio Wardley at the O2 Arena on Saturday night. Garber, a 41-year-old fighter from Bradford, was eventually stopped by technical knockout in the second round after suffering a series of punches from 20-year-old Olaniyan.
Footage of the incident circulated online after broadcaster DAZN shared it, showing Pu kicking a towel out of the ring and allowing the fight to continue.
Garber’s Corner Makes Two Attempts to Stop the Fight
Garber’s team threw in the towel in an attempt to end the contest, but Pu rejected the first attempt and allowed the bout to continue.
Seconds later, Olaniyan landed a further series of punches that sent Garber to the canvas. His corner threw in another towel, which was also not accepted before Pu eventually intervened and stopped the fight.
Garber was subsequently seen receiving oxygen at ringside.
The referee’s handling of the incident became a major talking point following the contest, with attention focused on the decision to allow the fight to continue after the corner had attempted to withdraw its fighter.
Boxing Rules Give Referees Authority Over Stoppages
Under British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) regulations, throwing a towel into the ring does not automatically end a boxing match. The referee retains the authority to decide whether a contest should be stopped.
Although it is unusual for a referee to overrule a corner’s attempt to end a fight, the rules allow the official to determine whether the bout continues.
Pu’s decision to reject both towels therefore became the subject of debate among boxing fans after the footage spread online.
Fans Criticise Pu’s Handling of the Contest
Several viewers criticised Pu on social media, questioning why she allowed Olaniyan to continue landing punches after Garber’s team had tried to stop the bout.
One fan wrote that the referee had nearly got Garber killed and criticised her for kicking the towel away.
Another questioned the rules, arguing that a towel thrown into the ring should automatically end a fight because a referee may not know the full extent of the punishment a boxer has received during training and the contest.
A further viewer criticised Pu’s performance during the event, claiming that she had made other questionable stoppage decisions earlier in the evening.
The comments followed the circulation of footage showing the referee removing the towel and allowing the contest to continue.
Amy Pu Became the UK’s First Female Professional Boxing Referee
Pu, who is originally from Taiwan, began boxing in London in her 30s before becoming a professional referee in 2024. She is the United Kingdom’s first and only female professional boxing referee.
Earlier this year, she told the BBC that reactions to her work as a professional referee had generally been positive, although she had encountered occasional racist and sexist comments during her amateur career.
Pu said she had initially hesitated before moving into professional officiating partly because of those experiences.
She also said she hoped people would judge her on her performance as a referee rather than on her gender or Asian background.
Olaniyan Extends Undefeated Professional Record
The victory over Garber extended Olaniyan’s unbeaten professional record to five wins from five fights.
Garber’s record stands at 14 victories and 10 defeats following the second-round stoppage.
The 20-year-old Olaniyan secured the TKO after delivering the punches that sent Garber to the canvas, prompting Pu to bring the contest to an end.
Garber Reflects on His Boxing Career
Garber did not publicly focus on the referee’s decisions in his immediate reaction to the fight. Instead, he reflected on his career and the financial rewards he had earned through boxing.
In a Facebook post, he said he had accepted the bout the previous week and understood the challenge he faced.
He also suggested that the fight might mark the end of his career, while expressing pride in competing in front of a large crowd at the O2 Arena.
Garber wrote that he had bought two houses through boxing and said the latest fight would allow him to buy a third.
He added that if it was the end of his career, he was pleased to have gone out in front of approximately 20,000 spectators.
