This Thursday, like each Thursday, I ask you to tug up a seat alongside my bulging, bulbous sack and watch me shoot a load of gooey, salty fact proper into the faces of boxing’s purveyors of ignorance. This week, now we have questions/feedback concerning flak for fighters transferring up, dissing Jap Europeans, the demise of Olympic boxing, having dignity within the face of a Saudi buyout.
Have Some Dignity, Boxing!
Hello Chief!
I can’t imagine what I’m witnessing, concerning absolutely the lack of dignity of many individuals concerned within the boxing business. It’s astonishing, to say the least. After all, I’m speaking in regards to the Saudi man assuming the function of boxing dictator.
Many issues have me astonished. However what actually caught my consideration was his induction into the Nevada Corridor of Fame.
After all you’re gonna be on the suitable aspect of historical past as soon as this nonsensical Saudi fest is over. However seeing Oscar de la Hoya and Roberto Duran on his knees, adulating a man simply due to his cash, is admittedly, actually unhappy.
Think about being ODH. You received every thing. You’re a legend. Your model means gold. Within the case of Mano de Piedra, you’re in all probability one of the best light-weight ever and perhaps one of the best athlete within the historical past of your nation. And but, you conform to devalue your self by performing like a wealthy man’s pet. By the way in which, it’s unfathomable, not possible, a real check to 1’s persistence, to see somebody inform this man “your excellency”. Come-fucking-on!!!! Thanks Canelo, by the way in which, for not leaping into the Saudi wagon (for now, not less than).
Sorry for the rant. It’s simply that this matter is as apparent, as it’s not possible to imagine. Boxing is promoting its collective soul.
– Carlos, from Hermosillo, Mexico
Hey Carlos.
I’m on the level the place I’ve no phrases for boxing’s lack of dignity and painfully shortsighted “take the money now, overlook about tomorrow” enterprise technique. Individuals are in all probability uninterested in me speaking about it, too.
It’s simply completely befuddling that boxing businessmen can’t see the place all this could possibly be headed (and doubtless IS headed). Turki isn’t right here to “save” boxing, he’s right here to TAKE boxing– or not less than take sufficient of it again residence to assist in his nation’s efforts to show Riyadh right into a worldwide vacationer attraction and sports activities/leisure hub. He’s right here for that function, solely, and boxing persons are shoving the keys to the enterprise in his arms, getting their guys beat and their very own plans upended for a fast buck. I’ve stated it earlier than, however all of those people– promoters, managers, networks, even media– they’re all placing themselves out of enterprise by working with the Saudis.
Yeah, within the brief time period we’re getting some respectable fights, however turning issues over to a murderous dictator with no historical past of enterprise truthful play and no long-term dedication to the game, who’s exterior of our jurisdiction, is simply not good for the long-term well being of the game. And we’ll all see that quickly sufficient.
Shifting Up, Taking Flak
Hey Paul,
Why do some fighters catch flak for not wanting as nice once they step up in weight class/competitors? To me it is just logical that your fights are going to be extra aggressive. I am positive that I’m within the minority, however for my greenback, I really like aggressive fights. As a fighter, you aren’t going to look nice in opposition to all opponents. Benavidez, Morrell, Crawford and now Vergil Ortiz are all being scrutinized for his or her newest performances. I really loved the Ortiz-Bohachuk scrap, whatever the controversy. It jogged my memory a little bit of Corrales-Castillo I.
I want we had extra entertaining fights, and fighters that problem themselves to be nice.!
Regards.
–Reggie Cannon
Hey Reggie.
It’s simply followers being fickle. Boxing followers are particularly fickle. Individuals simply wish to bitch about stuff and social media has given everybody a platform for doing that. What you’ll normally discover is that the folks speaking crap about how unhealthy a fighter seemed are those that wielded some form of agenda in opposition to him/her anyway. Everybody’s simply working round with raging affirmation bias, trying to reverse engineer themselves into being proper.
Simply do what I do and what sensible boxing folks do– ignore them. The griping and the criticism means nothing.
No Respect For Jap Europeans
Paul,
It ought to trouble combat followers that very gifted Jap European expertise goes unnoticed or blackballed.
Now that Madrimov fought so properly in opposition to Bud, Madrimov is now within the no-fly zone for any American/British promoter. Heck, Uzbek [Olympic] boxers struck gold in 5 of the seven males’s classes. I doubt any of them, apart from probably Jalolov, go onto something substantial within the skilled ranks. Not as a result of skillset, however as a result of alternative. What are your ideas on that?
This naturally segues into my subsequent query. What is going on on with Olympic Boxing? Is it even going to be a sport? No headgear? Jalolov who’s 14-0 with 14 KO’s successful with ease. I simply do not get what Olympic Boxing has become. I do know there’s points with it even being a sport within the subsequent Olympics. I keep in mind when the Olympics have been a gateway for the skilled ranks. What has occurred?
– Greg
Hey Greg.
I occur to assume that Jap European fighters get proven an inordinate quantity of deference by boxing media. Sadly for a few of these fighters, media love doesn’t have any connection to bankability or marketability.
As a lot as we’d wish to assume in any other case, boxing stardom isn’t essentially a meritocracy. The most effective fighters aren’t all the time the largest fighters. Followers will purchase what excites and entertains them and a whole lot of the Jap European fighters simply don’t encourage shopper pleasure within the West. Consider me, if there have been cash in these guys, boxing folks could be falling throughout themselves to get them on the principle stage.
There are a whole lot of issue at play with regards to these fighters and their lack of salability. Language points come into play. Usually being extra reserved, much less outgoing can be an element. Even one thing as foolish as having hard-to-spell names could be a issue.
Within the case of Madrimov, doing properly in opposition to Crawford did virtually nothing to spice up his personal field workplace attraction. If something, it damage his means to get huge fights down the highway since he’s now established himself as a excessive danger opponent that brings low reward. The Saudis might maintain him in huge fights, however these guys function at a loss and their enterprise mannequin is most undoubtedly not a sensible boxing enterprise mannequin.
As for Olympic boxing? Beginner boxing did themselves a number of enormous disservices over time, finally ensuing within the sport not being an Olympic occasion. The implementation of the punch level system strangled the life power from the beginner game– in addition to resulting in a crop of touch-touch-touch, points-first professionals. The removing of headgear was a step in the suitable route, however it was too little, too late. In the end, their lack of ability to curtail corruption lastly delivered the demise blow for boxing.
It’s an actual disgrace. The lack of the Olympics goes to harm fighter growth enormously. And, simply symbolically, the loss is a troublesome one.
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