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Boxing: The Sportsworld's Best Kept Secret
12-Apr-08 18:04
Like many boxing fans, I didn’t want the month of March to end. Nothing against April, but it will have a hard time matching the drama, excitement, and Madness that the previous month provided fans of the Sweet Science. March was filled with nominees for fight, round, knockout, and upset of the year. It was a four week span that won’t soon be forgotten.
However, when the talk around the water cooler in my office was dominated by the NCAA tournament and Major League Baseball’s Opening Day, I was suddenly soaked with the reality that boxing still must face the "If a tree falls in the woods" questions.
Just today I tried to strike up a conversation by stating that I’d be going to Atlantic City this weekend. "Ooh, are you going to the casinos?", I was asked. "No, I’m actually going to see the fights...." - crickets - "boxing...on HBO!"
"Oh that sounds fun, is anyone I know fighting?", at this point I realized I was in a bit of trouble, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to promote the sport.
"Miguel Cotto is defending his title against Alfonso Gomez. Cotto just defeated Zab Judah and Shane Mosley. Gomez was on the first season of ’The Contender’." I continued, "What’s really cool is that on the undercard Kermit Cintron is trying to defend his title and avenge his only professional loss in a rematch against Antonio Margarito.... so I’ll get to see two title fights!" I was sinking fast. "The two winners could potentially face each other this summer to bolster their claim to face Floyd Mayweather Jr." Bingo! Pen to paper, and I was asked what time the show started. My good deed for boxing had been done for the day!
Normally I would have been discouraged much earlier, but I was pleased that I didn’t have to stoop to, "Mayweather will be fighting Oscar De La Hoya - again - in September".
I’m at the point now where I try not to take boxing’s lukewarm reception personally. I instead take pride that I’m one of the few that "get it". I feel as if I discovered a great sports bar that features good food, cold drinks, and plenty of TVs. And although I’d like nothing more than to tell all my friends, I’m not necessarily in a rush to give up my seat at the bar, or have to wait to be served.
The fact is that despite March’s many great moments, it didn’t cause a ripple in the water of the sportsworld’s mainstream. Yes, it could be frustrating at times, but I smile when I see that some progress is being made. I would love for boxing to return to newtork TV, be covered in newspapers, and capture the imagination of the next generation of athletes, but it may not happen anytime soon. Until then, boxing needs to build on the momentum from March ’08, and when great fights become the norm instead of the exception, its fan base will only grow.
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