THE SQUARE RING Sept. 4, 2013 by James Wellington Jeeves , Esq. keeppunching and Brooks Sports Bureau, Phuket Thailand Boxing is more than boxer’s. It’s fans, writer’s, corner men, trainer’s, promoters, sanctioning bodies and when searching for the big money….. television. Those bodies haven’t been aligned since Haley’s Comment last flew by and was actually seen. 1998 doesn’t count as the comet was barely visible to the nekked eye. Next visit 2061….maybe. A recent post by one of the “mover’s and shaker’s” in the sport may hold a clue as to why. The good Dr. wrote: “Sport in general is an important activity for humans. It prepares us physically to be on the highest level. It also teaches us to win with humility and to lose with dignity.” Is this gentleman talking about today’s boxing scene ? Especially as presented on TV and print. Maybe back in the day of the Brown Bomber, the second coming of George Foreman or the real Sugar Ray boxing fit the good Dr.’s description. The words “humility” and “dignity” are seldom associated with the boxing today except when attached to the words “lack of”. Many of the marquee attractions talk and act like low class thugs. In the rare occurrence where they do have “humility” and “dignity” their camp follower’s usually provide the appeal to the LCD-----Lowest Common Dominator----- of society. As a group they too often make the average soccer fan’s seem like a 5th Avenue swell. This fact has surely been noticed by Showtime. They’re doing their best to promote the September 14 battle in Las Vegas between Floyd Mayweather jr. (44-0) and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (42-0 with touch of class. It’s an attempt to lure sport fans to plunk down $50.00 bucks for the PPV. Showtime targeted their appealed to those that don’t wear their pants “a la plumber” and know how to wear a ball cap without looking like a stand-in for Alfred E, Neumann. They even pre-empted the hot new series Ray Donovan for an “all access” visit with both camps hoping to cash in on the “next Soprano’s” chic caché . This is the second inning of the $300 million dollar game involving Showtime and Floyd Mayweather jr. Like a Little League encounter it’s scheduled for 6 but Showtime probably has a mercy rule exit hidden in the small print. The experts have Mayweather winning easy. Nay, nay says Alvarez promoter---- and Mayweather partner as boxing makes strange bed fellows----- Oscar de la Hoya. “I’d be surprised if Canelo doesn’t knock Mayweather out within 8 rounds.” Oscar has been surprised before. With decisions against him in Las Vegas and when photo’s of him in a dress showed up. “Surprise” The new Mayweather ? “Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. The last time I checked, everyone had a game plan to beat Floyd Mayweather. My job is to go out there and execute the game plan and do what I do best. Oscar said he was gonna knock me out also and you saw what happened in that fight.” The “new” Mayweather ? Since his stay at the Grey Bar Inn he’s been very polite and genteel. As an added attraction Showtime added a dandy co-feature between Danny Garcia (26-0) and Lucas Martin Matthysse (34-2). These two brawlers have combined for 38 KO’s with Matthysse credited with 32. Garcia has faced the better known opponents. His last three victims were Zab Judah (UD 12), Erik Morales (KO 4) and Amir Khan (KO 4). In the last, Judah fought his baby heart out in the fight of his life. Matthysse brings a great KO record but like all from the Argentine his power is questionable because of opposition. A “pick’em” at best. The new Fox Sport 1 Monday night fights made its’ début---not pronounced DE BUTT---- recently. The fights were average with more time devoted to an infomercial for Mayweather-Alvarez. Primary Fox boxing announcer Dave Bontempo played the part usually portrayed by Ron Popiel when talking with De la Hoya.. “Oscar you deserve a lot of credit for adding Danny Garcia against Lucas Matthysse to the September 14 Pay-Per-View card. You didn’t have to do it.” “I did it for the fans.” “Bullhockey”. NO promoter takes money out of his pocket to “please the fans.” Showtime’s Head Honcho Steve Esposito did it in hopes of increasing the PPV buys. Good for him. As the architect of Mayweather’s $300 million contract, Esposito is responsible for any and all unexpected consequences of that contract. Like getting the Donnie Trump mandate “You’re fired.” Showtime, using the Billy Jean King modus operandi------ she takes credit for everything on earth except the roster welcoming the sunrise---- can take credit for some really good fights lately on ESPN, HBO and yes Showtime. The best of the bunch was the Showtime card where war horse Jhonny Gonzales (55-8) knocked out previously undefeated Abner Mares at the 2:55 mark of the first. Referee Jack Reiss did a GREATY job in this one as Mares could have been badly hurt. Gonzales must have found the “magic youth elixir”. Equally as impressive was the Leo Santa Cruz (25-0) with a KO of Victor Terrazas in 3. In an example of why boxer’s should never talk after a bout Gonzales said, “But I hope to have opportunities to face Nonito Donaire, Mickey Garcia and Guillermo Rigondeaux among others.” Note to Jhonny, “they all fight on HBO.” Whoops. With the young “chill’in” back in school with “new” learning such as why “Sammy has a Mommy and Dad named John and Fred” boxing etiquette may have taken a step back to its’ future. If Showtime can keep Danny Garcia’s father away from a mic and camera the new boxing etiquette may actually prevail. One that always showed humility and dignity was former heavyweight contender Tommy “Two Gun” Morrison (48-3-1). As meteoric as his rise was his fall from grace. In 1996 he was “allegedly” diagnosed with HIV. That ended his top tier career although he fought sporadically since. The last time in a ring in 2008. A fight he won with a TKO. In his latest battle he lost via KO. He has counted out with his wife Trisha at his side. Whether he died of Guillain-Barre Syndrome or HIV is totally immaterial. His shooting star shown bright in the boxing sky with his meteoric ascendancy punctuated with a “shucks good old boy “ atmosphere that was as exciting as it was refreshing. Tommy Morrison always displayed a humility and a dignity so lacking in today’s boxers. Let’s raise a Corona in the memory of Tommy Morrison as the bell tolls 10. Cheewit dee khrup.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Sep 2013 17:18:19 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015