by David P. Greisman
For this week’s “Fighting Words” and the first 10 of “The 10 Count,” click here . For 10 more, read below…
11. Boxers Behaving Badly update, part one: Charges have been dropped against lightweight titleholder Edwin Valero, who had been arrested in his native Venezuela and accused of assaulting his wife, according to reports published on this site and in the country's newspapers.
Details from Jhonny Gonzalez (not the former bantamweight beltholder, but a BoxingScene correspondent out of Venezuela) include Valero’s wife “having multiple bruises, scratches and a collapsed lung from a blow to the ribs.”
“Valero told doctors in the hospital that his wife had fallen down a flight of stairs. The doctors, based on the injuries, did not believe the story,” Gonzalez wrote.
Classy. But Valero’s wife didn’t want to press charges against the fighter, telling police that she had indeed fallen down the stairs.
Valero had supposedly been arrested last year for assaulting family members. But that apparently blew over; he’s fought legitimately since then. The 28-year-old is 27-0 with 27 knockouts and last defended his lightweight world title in February, stopping Antonio DeMarco.
12. Had this case gone forward against Valero, it could have been the final straw permanently preventing him from fighting in the United States ever again.
From 2004 through 2008, Valero was banned from boxing in America after it was revealed he had once undergone surgery following a head injury suffered in a motorcycle accident. In April 2009, however, Texas tested Valero and allowed him to fight there.
His first time back would be his last time back.
A drunk-driving charge out of Texas kept Valero from being able to get a U.S. visa. Valero has fought twice since, a December bout in Venezuela and a February fight in Mexico.
More legal woes could have made Valero persona non grata. For someone who was heralded as such a phenomenon, he could have been relegated to bouts in other countries, limiting both his pool of opponents and his television exposure.
13. Boxers Behaving Badly, part one: New England slugger Joey Spina was arrested last week and charged with “assault, stalking and violation of an abuse prevention order,” according to the Worcester (Mass.) Telegram & Gazette.
Spina allegedly threatened his ex-girlfriend and her child, calling the woman repeatedly despite the abuse prevention order, even asking her, “What would happen if your kid never got the bus?”
Spina, 32, has fought at super middleweight and light heavyweight. He is 25-1-2 with 17 knockouts. Spina last fought in October, a draw with Lou Del Valle.
14. To steal from Stephen Colbert, a wag of the finger and a tip of the hat to The Providence (R.I.) Journal.
The finger wagging is for a blog entry that incorrectly said Spina was on boxing reality competition “The Contender,” and for listing Spina as holding two minor sanctioning body titles. Spina wasn’t on “The Contender” – he was brought in as an opponent to Peter Manfredo Jr. on a card televised by Tournament of Contenders. And he hasn’t held either of those belts since 2006.
Easily verifiable facts. Silly errors.
The hat tipping goes to Corey Bourassa of The Providence Journal. Bourassa, who posted the blog entry but wasn’t its author, promptly corrected the erroneous information when contacted about it.
15. Boxers Behaving Badly, part two: Retired cruiserweight Terry Ray will go on trial in October on charges of sexual misconduct with a minor, child solicitation and sexual battery. He is accused of French kissing a 14-year-old girl at a high school party at Ray’s house. Ray was not initially at the party but came home to it, according to the Terre-Haute (Ind.) Tribune-Star.
Ray, 46, boxed from 1986 to 2001, compiling a record of 41 wins (25 by knockout), nine losses and one “No decision.”
16. Boxers Behaving Badly update, part two: What not to do while awaiting trial for fraud? Commit more fraud.
Albert Onolunose allegedly did just that, according to the Calgary Herald.
Onolunose, 29, was already facing numerous charges of fraud and other crimes for allegedly taking part in a scam in which United States residents were contacted by telephone or mail, told they were lottery winners and told they had to pay legal or processing fees to get prizes that, in reality, didn’t exist. Between 2005 and 2008, this particular group’s scam raked in more than $3 million, police said.
While out on bail, he allegedly tried to start the scam back up. He’s facing “nine additional charges, including breach of his recognizance and one count of attempted fraud over $5,000,” according to the newspaper.
A total of nine people were charged in the initial scam. Along with Onolunose, who fights between 154 and 168 pounds and has an 18-1 (7) record, police arrested Onolunose’s brother, cruiserweight Jegbefumere “Bone” Albert (28 years old, 7-0, 4 knockouts) and junior-welterweight Julius “Bazuka” Odion (30 years old, 11-0-2, 3 knockouts).
17. Boxers Behaving Badly update, part three: Undefeated British fighter Jamie Cox received a four-month suspended prison sentence and will have to do 250 hours of community service for assaulting two men outside of a bar in December 2008, according to the Swindon Advertiser.
Cox, 23, is 14-0 with eight knockouts. His last sanctioned fight was in February, an eight-round decision win. A quick search of my archives shows that Cox was also in court two years ago for June 2007 incident in which he allegedly floored a man in a nightclub with a single punch after spitting at the man’s girlfriend. I’m not sure what the outcome of that case was.
18. Boxer Admitting to Behaving Badly: Former 168- and 175-pound champion Joe Calzaghe has admitted to cocaine use in an undercover investigation done by British tabloid News of the World.
The tabloid, tipped off by a friend of Calzaghe’s, had reporters posing as potential sponsors. At a meeting with Calzaghe, the conversation eventually turned to drugs.
Calzaghe has released a statement: “I very much regret my occasional use of cocaine in what have sometimes been the long days since my retirement from the ring. I am fully aware of the bad example it sets to other people and particularly to youngsters, and I apologize to my family, friends and fans.
“It is not a major problem in my life, but it is something which I am actively addressing. Many of the other conversations reported to have taken place simply involve men joshing or shooting the breeze over a drink. While some statements are either untrue or exaggerations, I am, naturally, sorry for any embarrassment their publication may cause to entirely blameless third parties.”
19. So long as Calzaghe wasn’t using drugs to get an advantage while fighting – and there was no indication of that from this investigation – why was there any need to have an undercover expose?
Is Joe Calzaghe an elected official or a candidate seeking office? Was there any reason to need this investigation? Remember, the revelation of Tiger Woods’ sexual escapades came out of the circumstances and lack of information following his late-night car crash. And the story of John Edwards’ mistress – uncovered by the National Enquirer – was the story of a powerful, popular politician and the use of campaign funds to cover up Edwards’ affair.
And then there’s the ethically frowned upon undercover investigation. I know journalism is done differently in the United Kingdom, but in the United States it’s been more than a decade since the landmark case involving ABC News using subterfuge to deliver an expose involving Food Lion grocery stores.
20. Coming Soon: Floyd Mayweather Sr. sponsors a “News of the World” undercover investigation to finally connect Manny Pacquiao to “A-Side Meth.”
Does the fun ever start?
David P. Greisman is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. His weekly column, “Fighting Words,” appears every Monday on BoxingScene.com. He may be reached for questions and comments at fightingwords1@gmail.com
