This wasn’t Pernell Whitaker-Julio Cesar Chavez or Felix Sturm-Oscar De La Hoya, OK? So stop with the indignation. This was a close and difficult fight to score. Dirrell, who’s style is effective, if not exciting, boxed well for large stretches and was very difficult to reach. However, for long spells he didn’t do much offensively. Froch, for as much as he came forward, was anything but effective with his aggression. Both boxers had sporadic moments, but neither guy ever took full control of this fight.
For the record, I had Dirrell winning by a point or two. But was anyone really stunned that the guy with the home-canvas advantage would come away with the split verdict, especially in light of the way Dirrell boxes? I think if he had it to to all over again, Dirrell would try to sit down on more of his punches like he did in the later stages of the fight. By the late rounds, he was every bit the puncher that ’the Cobra’ was and still enjoyed his advantage in speed and quickness.
2- Clinching is the only infraction in sports that isn’t penalized- and it’s killing the game.
Yeah, I know that Dirrell had a point deducted for his holding, but you could make the argument he should’ve had a few more points taken off his ledger for the excessive amount of times he held Froch. This is boxing, not the MMA, leave the grappling to them. But I don’t blame the fighters who employ this tactic. This is on the officials who flat out refuse to follow the rule book. Which clearly states that clinching is illegal. Yet, outside of the bout between Andre Berto and Luis Collazo this year, have you seen a referee really take a firm stand and penalize a boxer for committing this foul so early and often?
In basketball, you travel, you lose possession of the ball. In football, jump offsides, you lose five yards. In baseball, a pitcher balks, and the base runners advance. In boxing, you clinch and you get to clinch over and over and over again? Why? Make me the commissioner of boxing( scary thought, huh?) and one of my first points of emphasis is to eradicate this tactic. It’s one thing to hold onto dear life when you’re staggered and hurt. I get that. However, to do it incessantly because you refuse to fight on the inside, is something completely different.
Do you remember how much better Berto’s battle against Collazo was once referee Keith Hughes docked Berto for his early hugging? And just how dreadful a fight was his contest with Juan Urango because it looked like the last dance of the prom while Keith Sweat was playing?
I’m really not asking for much. Just follow this regulation the way it was intended to be. Is that too much to ask for, making fighters, actually fight?
3- They create a much better atmosphere in Europe for big fights than in America.
And it’s not even close, they have passionate partisans who love their fighters, they don’t have events in stale casino’s, and most importantly, they have promoters and networks, that actually invest money to create this lively scene. Just look at Abraham’s entrance, I know some old-school denizens hate that stuff, but the reality is that every other sport has jazzed up their entrances and the like. They understand that sports is entertainment and that the packaging of it is vital in creating something that will bring repeat customers. It’s fun, it’s exciting, and it’s the type of environment that is conducive to creating younger fans. Hey, it’s what the MMA/UFC does, and they are hitting this key demographic.
Ever been to a big fight in Vegas? Folks, for the most part, till the main event fighters get into that ring, there isn’t all that much going on. In fact, you can find more life at a mausoleum, most of the time. But overseas, you get all the bells and whistles. It’s one of the reasons why the boxing business over there is still strong. They flat out do a better job of presenting their product. It’ll be interesting to see throughout this ’Super Six’ just how well the fights in Europe are attended as opposed to the ones out here in America. And then compare the in-arena atmosphere between the two continents.
I think the Stateside promoters and networks should take note.
4- Loved Showtime’s overall coverage.
It’s always been a widely held belief that Showtime lags behind HBO when it comes to production values but you can tell that the network is making a huge investment into ’the Super Six’, which is probably their most important foray since getting into the Mike Tyson business years ago. They have really stepped up here with ’Fight Camp 360’, the fancy photo shoots and the brand spankin’ new graphics.
And it all works well together. That was a very strong telecast they had this past weekend.
5- Gus Johnson loves himself from Andre Dirrell.
OK, this is no rebuke on Johnson, he’s an excellent broadcaster and he’s been very good as Showtime’s new blow-by-blow guy, but I couldn’t help but notice just how much he seemed to be enjoying ’the Matrix’. I got a good chuckle after one round when Johnson and Al Bernstein had a disagreement over who won a particular round. After Johnson stated that he thought it was clearly a round for Dirrell, Bernstein almost had his Jim Mora ’Playoff?!? Playoff?!?!’ moment, as he responded with," Really!?!?!"
Hey, we all have our favorites for whatever reason. Jim Lampley had Oscar De La Hoya. Howard Cosell had Muhammad Ali and Max Kellerman had Pernell Whitaker. I guess Johnson has Dirrell.
6- Allan Green is on the clock.
Unfortunately for Taylor, the prognostications of him getting knocked out and not finishing up this tournament may become a prophecy. Just look at the facts, for the third time in about two years, he has been knocked out. But what’s worse is that they seem to be more and more concussive and brutal. There’s no denying his toughness and willingness to compete, but doesn’t he just have that look of a guy that once he gets hit a certain way, it shuts off for him? It’s like a football player who has suffered from multiple concussions, once they are at that point, it’s only a matter of time before another tackle gets to them.
That looks like Taylor, right now.
He was able to speak with Steve Farhood of Showtime after the fight but it was reported that he was suffering from some memory loss and had to be hospitalized for further observation. Forget the tournament, you wonder if he should be boxing anymore, period. He’s had a productive and lucrative career but it’s clear that he’s seen better days in the ring. Is it worth going on any further?
TV AZTECA
Hey, was it just me or did TV Azteca not show the Brandon Rios-Manuel Perez like they were supposed to? At seven o’clock Pacific time, I got soccer. OK, I thought, maybe it’ll come out at ten. Well, there was boxing, but it was some other fight that’s a part of some reality show and not the card that took place in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Let’s be frank, Top Rank made a huge deal at the beginning of 2009 about this series, which was supposed to replace the dearly departed ’Solo Boxeo’ on Telefutura. Folks, I’ve seen ’Solo Boxeo’ and this is no ’Solo Boxeo’. In fact, it’s been a bust of JaMarcus Russell proportions. The production values are about as good as a cable access show, you never seem to know when it’s on, and sometimes( like this weekend), it’s not even on, when it’s supposed to be. I’m hearing that it was taped and will be broadcast later on. Good luck finding out, when.
Now, the rumor is that Top Rank is very close to closing a deal with another network( I’m hearing maybe Fox Sports Espanol) where they will do three shows a month- two in the States, one in Mexico- which is great on the surface. But based on how they Tye Fields’d ’Versus’ to death and just how utterly unorganized this TV Public Accessteca series has been, I’m not sure what to think.
By the way, Rios stopped Perez in seven rounds.
VAZQUEZ-MARQUEZ IV
Golden Boy Promotions has other things on it’s plate, right now( such as finalizing Shane Mosley’s bout against Berto and the rematch between Juan Diaz and Paulie Malignaggi), but as soon as those things are shored up, they will start working in ernest on a fourth installment of Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez.
The hope is to have this fight take place sometime in the spring at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They just have to find a date when that venue is not being occupied by the Lakers, Clippers and Kings. Also, there is the issue Marquez and his promotional situation. Gary Shaw, may still hold his rights but he’s more than willing to walk away for the right price.
The Staples Center is where this fight belongs. After their epic trilogy( where the first and third installment took place at the Home Depot Center in Carson), this rivalry has graduated to the big room. Yeah, these two are faded, but like Fred and Ginger, they dance beautifully together. And Mexican fight fans, more than any other, appreciate a slugfest. This fight, although a bit forgotten, is still a strong draw in Southern California.
FINAL FLURRIES
I’ve seen boxing trunks split in the back- remember Riddick Bowe against Pierre Coetzer?- but have you ever seen them split in the front like Abraham’s? Now, I’ve seen it all....Not that it really mattered, but I thought Taylor was in there two-on-one at times with the way Lupe Garcia was officiating that fight....Just wondering, why don’t more opponents of Abraham throw more uppercuts up the middle. It seems to be the only real opening he gives....Remember when the Buffalo Bills fired their offensive coordinator before the season and junked the ’no-huddle offense’? Now, they’re running the ’no-offense, offense’. Seriously, that’s tough to watch....How bad are the Tennessee Titans? I hear several schools in the NCAA want to schedule them for homecoming....Yeah, I think Jim Zorn can start looking for a new gig....Drew Brees is as good as any QB in the NFL- yeah, that includes Peyton Manning....I think Miami-Clemson will be a battle next Saturday....It’s clear, BAMA is the best team in the land, right now....If you’re experiencing any technical problems with your Maxboxing account, please email me at
k9kim@yahoo.com....Also, if you have any question or comments for me for ’the Main Event’, which is live every Wednesday night at 6 pm, Pacific, you can email me at the same address....Don’t forget ’the Main Event’ is also archived, last weeks guests were Ken Hershman and Steve Farhood of Showtime....
Twitter.com/stevemaxboxing....
