By Keith Terceira
Just over a year ago we lost the battle against liver disease and it claimed the life of my mother, the fight took several years and forced me to drop my involvement in boxing for several months as I needed to focus on her care more than the sport.
The single biggest thrill of my life in boxing has been watching Boxingscene explode into the premier web site for boxing on the net. I am glad that Rick and I got together in the beginning and saved this site, it was worth it !
When I returned to writing and my other boxing activities it was an attempt at some normalcy in my life, but something is missing and slowly I have faded both in my writing and my matchmaking. I have decided to retire and sit on the sidelines focusing on my family and their needs, perhaps I‘ll spend some time coaching kids. Time I spend running around the country can be put to better use.
Frankly, I spend more time collecting money from promoters and managers than I do making it and I have never asked to be paid for my attempts at writing because then I would need to play nice or be politically correct.
In October, I would have been associated with boxing for 40 years in one manner or the other. From the Taunton, Massachusetts Boys Club as a child to matchmaking TV fights and reporting on the biggest shows of the decade. It’s been a great ride though tiresome and frustrating much of the time.
I guess the toughest part of the last decade has been losing so many old friends to father time and young ones to the streets of this country’s cities. The new breed in the sport can't hold the jock strap of the fighters from my youth and the money in other mainstream sports keep to many good athletes from boxing.
One note before I leave:
The Corrales - Castillo bout cancellation should come as no surprise to anyone after what happened in the second one. The fact is the commission, the WBC, and the promoters involved are putting more effort in passing the buck then they did in insuring that Castillo came to the fight at weight. Frankly most of the world could give a shit that the fight came off at all. Does anyone think this would have happened on Ratner’s watch, that’s the problem with lawyers running commissions and governors appointing everything but boxing people to run the sport.
Castillo, his trainer, his promoter, and his management should all be suspended for a year for the disgrace they caused boxing, but that will never happen because boxing doesn't have enough support with the public to force some measure of penalty on anyone.
You see the Nevada Commission would spend thousands to protect Joe Mesi from himself and not a dime worth of effort on protecting the integrity of the sport.
That is why Mayorga, Toney, and Mosley continue to fight after doping issues. Boxing isn't baseball and nobody is concerned when the rules are broken because fewer and fewer care at all..
I want to thank Rick Reeno and BoxingScene for allowing me to write articles that were forceful and contrary to the normal drivel on other sites. The one problem with Internet writing is that writers are so afraid of losing their press creds and ringside seats that they stay away from being tough on promoter’s and commissions an instead get tough on the fighters when most fighters have little control over their careers.. BoxingScene has never been afraid of allowing me to write about the business end of boxing.
A last prediction:
Look forward to Hopkins defeating Tarver, and Roy Jones over the Prince, then boxing fans will be treated to Jones-Hopkins for the AARP Championship in yet another PPV satire on boxing.
My last hot prospect:
The best looking fighter out there for me is John Wesley Jackson (5-0, 5 KO’s), if you get a chance to see "Action" Jackson live, do so. This young man has the chance to take belts from 126 to 135. He is the total package.
Couple last digs;
It was fitting that Valdemir Pereira lost his title because I hate to see some promoters succeed, and with Murad Muhammad having a piece of that pie the loss was sweet to see…
Remember a few years back when I reported on Murad and PacMan’s contract problem’s and Manny questioned if he was getting a bad deal. Seems something was amiss because it settled and Manny was freed from his contract. My crowning moment that slipped by most.
I took a lot of ridicule reporting Steward’s thoughts that Wlads water bottle was rigged, now he is the Champ and is making that Brewster fight look even more questionable. Thanks Manny, for the interview!
To all those who have responded both pro and con to my articles a special thanks, to ESPN who I have been very tough on over the years, thanks for the offer to appear on your program but I like Fox Sports better.
To boxing fans everywhere, the motto of the sport today should be “It is What it is” so enjoy the spectacle and the drama, because the one fight you don't think will live up to the hype might be just the one that does.
My grapes and tomatoes need tending so I bid you, Adieu!
Kterceira@boxingscene.com
