This Thursday, like each Thursday, I ask you to drag 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, we’ve got questions/feedback relating to flak for fighters transferring up, dissing Japanese Europeans, the loss of life 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, relating to absolutely the lack of dignity of many individuals concerned within the boxing trade. It’s astonishing, to say the least. In fact, 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.
In fact you’re gonna be on the correct 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 actually, actually unhappy.
Think about being ODH. You received the whole lot. 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 appearing like a wealthy man’s pet. By the way in which, it’s unfathomable, unimaginable, a real take a look at to 1’s endurance, 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, at the very least).
Sorry for the rant. It’s simply that this matter is as apparent, as it’s unimaginable 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, overlook about tomorrow” enterprise technique. Individuals are in all probability bored with 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 will not be right here to “save” boxing, he’s right here to TAKE boxing– or at the very least take sufficient of it again house 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 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 mentioned 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 first rate 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 certain 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 just a little 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. Folks 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 individuals speaking crap about how unhealthy a fighter regarded are those that wielded some form of agenda in opposition to him/her anyway. Everybody’s simply operating round with raging affirmation bias, trying 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 Japanese Europeans
Paul,
It ought to trouble struggle followers that very proficient Japanese European expertise goes unnoticed or blackballed.
Now that Madrimov fought so effectively 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, in addition to presumably Jalolov, go onto something substantial within the skilled ranks. Not because of skillset, however because 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 Japanese 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 will not be essentially a meritocracy. The most effective fighters aren’t all the time the most important fighters. Followers will purchase what excites and entertains them and quite a lot of the Japanese 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 primary stage.
There are quite a lot of issue at play in terms of 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 is usually a issue.
Within the case of Madrimov, doing effectively in opposition to Crawford did virtually nothing to spice up his personal field workplace attraction. If something, it damage his skill to get massive fights down the street since he’s now established himself as a excessive danger opponent that brings low reward. The Saudis could maintain him in massive 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? Novice boxing did themselves a number of enormous disservices through the years, in the end ensuing within the sport not being an Olympic occasion. The implementation of the punch level system strangled the life pressure 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 correct path, but it surely was too little, too late. Finally, their incapacity to curtail corruption lastly delivered the loss of life blow for boxing.
It’s an actual disgrace. The lack of the Olympics goes to harm fighter growth vastly. And, simply symbolically, the loss is a troublesome one.
Bought a query (or hate mail) for Magno’s Bulging Mail Sack? The most effective of one of the best will get included within the weekly mailbag section proper right here at FightHype. Ship your stuff right here: paulmagno@theboxingtribune.com.
