{"id":692291,"date":"2026-01-13T02:08:25","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T02:08:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/692291\/"},"modified":"2026-01-13T02:08:25","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T02:08:25","slug":"petar-milas-granit-shala-and-the-referee-who-lost-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/692291\/","title":{"rendered":"Petar Milas, Granit Shala And The Referee Who Lost Control"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Timo Habighorst was the name of the referee officiating that fight for anybody wondering.<\/p>\n

He needs to be investigated immediately.#KabayelKnyba<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 MarkusB (@markusbthegoat) January 10, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The first knockdown should have been the intervention<\/p>\n

Early in the tenth, Milas dropped Shala. The knockdown itself was clean rather than explosive, but Shala\u2019s response was the problem. He rose without his legs under him, his balance compromised, his awareness dulled. Milas recognized it immediately. Instead of pressing forward, he turned toward referee Timo Habighorst<\/a> and gestured that Shala was in trouble. Fighters rarely do that, especially heavyweights sensing a stoppage. That signal alone should have prompted a closer inspection.<\/p>\n

Habighorst administered a routine count and waved the fight back on without any meaningful assessment. No extended look at Shala\u2019s eyes. No pause to check stability. The referee treated the moment as procedural rather than medical.<\/p>\n

Seconds later, Milas stepped in with a short, controlled one-two. Shala went down again. This time the damage was unmistakable. Shala attempted to rise by hauling himself up the ropes, his feet sliding, his high guard absent, his body no longer responding in sequence. The signs were no longer subtle.<\/p>\n

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Ref Timo Habighorst had an absolute shocker in the Petar Milas v Granit Shala fight.<\/p>\n

Could’ve stopped it after the first knockdown in the final round. Instead, he allowed Shala to continue and allowed him to get the absolute piss beat out of him instead of stopping the fight.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Anthony Cocks \u2013 Aussie Boxing Scribe (@el_pollo_loco) January 10, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Ignoring the corner removes any remaining defence<\/p>\n

As the count continued, Shala\u2019s corner threw in the towel and moved toward the ring. That is the final and clearest signal in the sport. The corner had surrendered responsibility because their fighter could no longer protect himself. Even then, Habighorst persisted with the count before eventually stopping the fight.<\/p>\n

By that point, every safeguard had failed in sequence. The opponent had asked for intervention. The knockdowns had accumulated. The fighter\u2019s physical state was obvious. The corner had stepped in. The referee still hesitated.<\/p>\n

Milas left with a stoppage win and a 20-1 record. Shala left having absorbed punishment that served no competitive purpose. The discussion about rounds won or lost before the tenth has relevance only on paper. In the ring, the important moment came when the referee declined to act while all available information pointed in the same direction.<\/p>\n

Habighorst\u2019s handling of this fight has raised questions about officiating standards and in-ring control. Referees are licensed to make fast, uncomfortable decisions to prevent unnecessary harm. When those decisions are repeatedly delayed in plain view, the question becomes unavoidable: how is this man still being assigned to fights of this level?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"YouTube<\/p>\n

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Olly Campbell has been covering boxing since 2014, offering readers a clear ringside perspective and thoughtful analysis on many of the sport\u2019s biggest nights. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, corner adjustments, and the technical details that shape high-level bouts. Over the years, Olly has reported on major cards in Las Vegas, New York, London, and across the UK boxing circuit, earning a reputation for levelheaded, detail-driven coverage.<\/p>\n

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