John Paul Hale hits out at 'joke' referee and 'random' decisions after loss to Patris Mughalzai at Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games
Published 26/07/2026 at 23:23 GMT+1
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Northern Ireland’s John Paul Hale hit out at a ”joke” performance from the referee as he cut a frustrated figure following his Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games boxing defeat to England’s Patris Mughalzai.
'It's just a joke!' - Hale lashes out at refereeing decisions after controversial defeat
Video credit: TNT Sports
Mughalzai was booed on his way to the ring in Glasgow but secured a unanimous decision victory over Hale in the men’s under 65kg division to advance to the quarter-finals.
Hale was given warnings by referee Javier Morales in the first and third rounds and had a point taken off towards the end of the fight when he wrestled Mughalzai to the canvas in frustration.
Hale made clear afterwards that he was not impressed with the way the fight was officiated.
”I thought I performed really well and I still had more left in the tank, but unfortunately the referee just kept letting him hold on and wasting time,” he told TNT Sports.
”There was no warning, there was a 10-second delay, letting him take a breather and then me having to get my way into the fight. It’s just a joke.
”I have worked this hard just to have it taken away by a referee. I’m really gutted because I know I could have won that fight if it was a different referee.”
Mughalzai was given a warning in the second round but came out on top as he avenged defeat to Hale in their previous meeting four years ago.
Hale added: ”The gameplan from the start was just to apply pressure, pressure, pressure. But the referee just let him hold and gave him breaks instead of giving him warnings and there were just random points taken off for no reason.
”He did his gameplan well, so fair play to him, but the ref spoiled it.”
Mughalzai will next fight Uganda’s Nuhu Batte in the quarter-finals.
Reflecting on his win over Hale, he said: ”I boxed John Paul about four years ago and he beat me but this time I knew the game plan.
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Patris Mughalzai of Team England
Image credit: Getty Images
”I’m mature now, I’m experienced. I went into the ring, he came at me, and I picked him apart. It was surreal to box in an atmosphere like that.
"When I came out, everyone was booing me and I knew I had to put on a performance, and I’ve done that.”
England’s Lauren Mackie and Ellis Trowbridge also won to book their places in the quarter-finals.
Mackie beat Australia’s Monique Suraci in the women’s under 54kg division while Trowbridge overcame Sri Lanka’s Rukmal Prasanna in the men’s under 55kg event.
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