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 reality 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 dying of Olympic boxing, having dignity within the face of a Saudi buyout.
Have Some Dignity, Boxing!
Hello Chief!
I cannot consider 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. In fact, I’m speaking concerning the Saudi man assuming the position of boxing dictator.
Many issues have me astonished. However what actually caught my consideration was his induction into the Nevada Corridor of Fame.
In fact you’re gonna be on the precise facet 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 part. You’re a legend. Your model means gold. Within the case of Mano de Piedra, you’re most likely the perfect light-weight ever and perhaps the perfect athlete within the historical past of your nation. And but, you comply with devalue your self by appearing like a wealthy man’s pet. By the way in which, it’s unfathomable, not possible, a real check to at least one’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, no less than).
Sorry for the rant. It’s simply that this matter is as apparent, as it’s not possible to consider. 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, neglect about tomorrow” enterprise technique. Persons are most likely 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 possibly IS headed). Turki shouldn’t be right here to “save” boxing, he’s right here to TAKE boxing– or no less than take sufficient of it again dwelling 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 goal, solely, and boxing individuals are shoving the keys to the enterprise in his palms, 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 quick time period we’re getting some first rate fights, however turning issues over to a murderous dictator with no historical past of enterprise honest play and no long-term dedication to the game, who’s outdoors 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 truly 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 truly loved the Ortiz-Bohachuk scrap, whatever the controversy. It jogged my memory somewhat 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 often discover is that the individuals speaking crap about how dangerous a fighter regarded are those that wielded some form of agenda in opposition to him/her anyway. Everybody’s simply working round with raging affirmation bias, seeking to reverse engineer themselves into being proper.
Simply do what I do and what good boxing individuals do– ignore them. The griping and the criticism means nothing.
No Respect For Jap Europeans
Paul,
It ought to trouble combat followers that very proficient Jap European expertise goes unnoticed or blackballed.
Now that Madrimov fought so nicely 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, moreover presumably Jalolov, go onto something substantial within the skilled ranks. Not on account of skillset, however on account 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 became. I do know there’s points with it even being a sport within the subsequent Olympics. I bear 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 shouldn’t be essentially a meritocracy. The perfect fighters aren’t at all times the largest fighters. Followers will purchase what excites and entertains them and quite a lot of the Jap European fighters simply don’t encourage shopper pleasure within the West. Imagine me, if there have been cash in these guys, boxing individuals can be falling throughout themselves to get them on the principle stage.
There are quite a lot of issue at play on the subject of these fighters and their lack of salability. Language points come into play. Sometimes being extra reserved, much less outgoing can also be an element. Even one thing as foolish as having hard-to-spell names could be a issue.
Within the case of Madrimov, doing nicely in opposition to Crawford did virtually nothing to spice up his personal field workplace enchantment. If something, it damage his capability to get massive fights down the street since he’s now established himself as a excessive threat opponent that brings low reward. The Saudis might hold him in massive fights, however these guys function at a loss and their enterprise mannequin is most undoubtedly not a practical boxing enterprise mannequin.
As for Olympic boxing? Novice boxing did themselves a number of large disservices over time, in the end ensuing within the sport now not being an Olympic occasion. The implementation of the punch level system strangled the life drive from the novice game– in addition to resulting in a crop of touch-touch-touch, points-first execs. The elimination of headgear was a step in the precise path, however it was too little, too late. In the end, their lack of ability to curtail corruption lastly delivered the dying blow for boxing.
It’s an actual disgrace. The lack of the Olympics goes to harm fighter growth tremendously. And, simply symbolically, the loss is a tricky one.
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