By OLIVER TODD, DIGITAL HEAD OF SPORT
Published: 05:15 EST, 18 October 2026 | Updated: 08:18 EST, 18 October 2026
In a sport where the white towel is universally recognized as the ultimate sign of surrender and a vital safety mechanism, a professional boxing referee at the O2 Arena on Saturday night twice rejected a corner’s attempt to halt a one-sided heavyweight bout, allowing a veteran fighter to absorb a prolonged and punishing sequence of blows.
The incident occurred during the high-stakes undercard of Daniel Dubois’ victory over Fabio Wardley in London. The bout pitted 41-year-old Bradford heavyweight Dan Garber against rising undefeated prospect Adam Olaniyan, just 20 years old. As the fight unfolded, it quickly became clear that the youthful energy and punching power of Olaniyan were proving too much for the veteran. In the second round, the mismatch turned perilous when Garber’s corner recognized the danger and attempted to throw in the towel to protect their fighter.
Rather than accepting the submission, referee Amy Pu—the United Kingdom’s first and only female professional boxing referee—kicked the white towel out of the ring, signaling for the fight to continue.
Garber, who at that moment appeared dismayed by his team’s initial attempt to wave off the contest, was left to weather the storm. However, the reprieve was tragically brief. Seconds after Pu dismissed the corner’s intervention, Olaniyan unleashed a devastating flurry of heavy headshots that crashed through the veteran’s defenses, sending Garber crashing hard to the canvas to definitively end the contest via technical knockout. Even as the second knockdown occurred, Garber’s corner threw a second towel into the squared circle, which was similarly ignored by the official before she officially stepped in to halt the punishment.
The aftermath of the stoppage painted a concerning picture of the physical toll the extra seconds had taken. Ringside medical staff rushed to the canvas, and Garber could subsequently be seen receiving oxygen outside the ropes to aid his recovery.
While the ruling drew immediate scrutiny, boxing regulations technically leave the ultimate decision of when to stop a fight entirely in the hands of the referee. Under the official guidelines of the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC), the throwing of a towel by a fighter’s corner does not automatically mandate an end to a bout. Referees retain the sole authority to determine whether a fighter is capable of continuing or if the contest should be waved off. It is an exceptionally rare occurrence for an official to actively overrule a corner’s plea for fighter safety, making Pu’s decision to kick the towel away a focal point of intense debate across the combat sports world.
Within minutes of the broadcast concluding, footage of the incident shared by rights holders DAZN went viral, sparking a fierce backlash from fans, pundits, and boxing observers on social media. Many criticized the official for exposing a veteran fighter to unnecessary danger.
"Ref nearly got Dan Garber killed. Kicking the towel out, idiot," one viewer wrote on the social media platform X.
Another concerned fan added: "Dan Garber receiving oxygen after referee Amy Pu inexplicably refuses the corner’s towel and allows Olaniyan to pile more damage in. Rules should be changed to make the towel coming in an automatic fight ended. Refs don’t know what’s been happening in the gym."
Further criticism targeted Pu’s broader performance on the night. Another social media user posted: "BBBofC referee Amy Pu has been mostly terrible all night, two stoppages called earlier than they needed to be, kicking the towel out to let Dan Garber take more punishment, this is not new for her."
The controversy places a fresh spotlight on Amy Pu, a trailblazer in British boxing officiating. Originally from Taiwan, Pu did not take up the sport until her 30s while living in London. She steadily worked her way through the amateur ranks before turning professional as a referee in 2024. In previous interviews, she has spoken candidly about the challenges she has faced, including isolated incidents of racism and sexism within the historically male-dominated culture of professional boxing.
Reflecting on her journey earlier this year, Pu told the BBC that the reception from the professional community had largely been encouraging, despite initial reservations about entering the sport.
"On the professional side, I have to say the reaction has mostly been really positive," Pu said earlier this year. "During the amateur days, there were some odd comments and stuff. I think one of the hesitations I had before turning professional was also for that reason. People have just been so supportive, knock on wood, I haven’t really had any criticism directed at me because of my sex or because of my race. I’m really grateful and I hope that it continues, that people should see me as a referee. They can give me stick as a referee, not as a female Asian referee."
For the two fighters involved, the bout marks very different trajectories in their respective careers. With the victory, the explosive Adam Olaniyan improves his pristine professional record to five wins and zero defeats, cementing his status as one of the division’s most promising young talents to watch. Meanwhile, the experienced Dan Garber sees his career record drop to 14 victories and 10 defeats.
Despite the frightening moments at the end of the second round and the ensuing public outcry over the referee’s judgment, Garber himself did not appear bitter or critical of Pu’s refusal to stop the fight when his corner first asked. Taking to Facebook shortly after the event, the 41-year-old fighter chose to focus on the financial rewards of stepping into the ring on short notice and hinted that this could well be the final chapter of his long career.
"What an experience, took the fight last week and we knew what we was up against but no excuses," Garber wrote.
"Maybe this is the end now for me, time waits for no-one. Bought 2 houses out of boxing and tonight gets me a 3rd, it’s been a massive part of my life. If it is the end then what a way to go out in front of 20,000."
