Here’s the latest I can provide on Mark Bates, the referee.
- Bates faced criticism for his officiating in the Wilder vs. Chisora bout at the O2 Arena, with Wilder and others accusing him of losing control during the chaotic 12 rounds. UK boxing authorities later reviewed the performance and stated no disciplinary action would be taken against Bates. [cite ][cite ]
- The British Boxing Board of Control conducted a review and publicly indicated that, despite the fight’s turbulent nature, Bates handled the situation without evident breach of rules, and no action was necessary at that time. [cite ][cite ][cite ]
- Coverage across outlets in late March/early April 2026 summarized that Bates did not face sanctions and that the board was satisfied with his handling of a difficult fight, though opinions on his performance remained divided among fans and commentators. [cite ][cite ]
If you’d like, I can pull a concise timeline of key moments from that bout, or summarize the main arguments for and against Bates’ in-ring decisions with direct quotes from the coverage. Also, I can monitor for any new developments and provide updates.
Sources
Referee Mark Bates was criticised for his officiating during Deontay Wilder's win over Derek Chisora.
www.dazn.comThe Mark Bates Referee debate ended with no discipline, even after a night in London that left questions hanging over control, judgment and timing. The British Boxing Board of Control reviewed the referee’s handling of Saturday’s 12-round non-title heavyweight clash between Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora and decided to take no further action. That decision …
www.el-balad.comReferee Mark Bates was criticised for his officiating during Deontay Wilder's win over Derek Chisora.
www.dazn.comThe British Boxing Board of Control has chosen not to punish referee Mark Bates in the wake of Saturday's fight between Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder.
www.ringmagazine.comAfter reviewing the performance of the referee for Saturday’s 12-round non-title heavyweight clash between Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora, the British Boxing Board of Control will take no further action. Mark Bates, who has refereed 807 bouts since 2017, came under fire from split-decision winner Wilder, Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel, and multiple voices on social media, for his apparent failure to retain control of a chaotic contest staged at London’s O2 Arena. … The other incident that...
www.boxingscene.comThe British Boxing Board of Control has chosen not to punish referee Mark Bates in the wake of Saturday's fight between Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder.
www.ringmagazine.comThe referee Mark Bates? performance in his split-decision win over Derek Chisora? led to Deontay Wilder fearing for his health... [Click Here To Read More (https://www.boxingscene.com/articles/unnerved-deontay-wilder-questions-mark-bates-future-in-refereeing)]
www.boxingscene.com