One of the most bizarre boxing scenes in recent memory is going to end a career.
Four days after a debacle that drew comparisons to the “Moonlight” Oscars gaffe and Steve Harvey naming the wrong Miss Universe, boxing announcer Dan Hennessey announced he will be hanging up his microphone. The former U.S. marine cited the toll the incident had on his mental health.
Hennessey became infamous on Saturday when he announced the winner of a bout between WBA bantamweight champion Nina Hughes and former IBF super bantamweight champion Cherneka Johnson. Reading the scorecards into the microphone, he announced Hughes as the winner by majority decision.
After hugs were exchanged and Hughes started celebrating with her corner, Hennessey got back on the microphone and told the fighters to re-convene at the center of the ring. There, he read off the same scores, but with Johnson as the winner.
The scene earned Hennessey scorn from many. That included ESPN’s Jon Tessitore, who blasted the “absolute clown show garbage amateur hour we saw with the ring announcer” in the immediate aftermath.
Hughes was understandably upset was well, at both Hennessey and the judges whose scores he misread. She said after the fight she felt “robbed” and described the night as “the dirty side of the sport I love.” She has already promised to exercise a rematch clause for another shot at Johnson.
Hennessey owned the mistake, apologizing on Facebook a day later and taking full responsibility for the situation. Unfortunately, he also misspelled Hughes’ last name:
“I own it. It’s all on me. I take full responsibility for the Chernika Johnson V Nina Houghs [sic] controversy. Not the Judges, not the sanctioned body. Me. I have apologized to all involved and now I apologize to you. I am sorry for what happened. Again I own it and can only try and do better next time. Not my best day in the office. I guess all the s***ty coments [sic] on socials I have coming. Again I am crushed and sorry for my s***storm of a preformance . You all deserved better. Sorry again
Those comments on social apparently ended up having an effect on Hennessey, as he posted two days later that he would be retiring after doing one more event for promoter Sam Rapira:
“I love all the support from everyone. Thank you all for the kind words. Unfortunately the worldwide backlash is absolutely incredible and it’s effecting [sic] my mental health to a degree where I will have 1 more show ever. I am doing this show because I am still a man of my word and promised Sam Rapira that I would do it because he is a great mate and I refuse to leave him hanging. I love and will keep in touch with all my friends from around the world. Thank you.. No longer the world’s punching bag. I’m out.”
Source Agencies
