Tweet
B.A.D. = Boxer's Apathy Defect.
Everyone predicted it. When the writers told us HBO cards have been stale we all balked. We cited examples of excitement- we debated amongst ourselves. The boxing fan predicted great things from this Saturday's Boxing After Dark triple header. Berto would shine, Smith and Powell would war, and Malignaggi would face a very game, live opponent in Edner Cherry.
Did we get all that? Well, that is a matter of opinion- and a great fight rarely is. A truly great fight is acknowledged by most boxing fans. A nod of the head, a mutter of respect, a brief, "that was a great fight". Did Berto-Bravo, Powell-Smith or Malignaggi-Cherry give all of us that feeling? No.
Berto dusted a somewhat bewildered looking Bravo who was thrown out of the fight by the New York athletic commission's three knock down rule. He didn't look dangerously hurt- but he did get put down on his butt three times and that was enough. First round KO....and goodnight Berto. Nice seeing you again. Thanks for the highlight reel addition.
Then we moved on to Powell-Smith. Most of us thought it would be a competitive, close fight. Sure, maybe it was a close fight...but why? The first half of the fight saw Ishe Smith- a man who we were told was hungry to be seen as more than a sparring partner and Contender fighter-do little. He did not fight like a boxer dying for respect. He did not seem to be putting 110% out there from the first round. He picked up the pace late but took the early rounds slow. Powell fought gamely, and skillfully, but also seemed to lack that intensity that we all notice in boxers and make mental notes of. The spark that says that man truly loves to fight. Despite the curiously wide decision in favor of Powell, who screamed, "I love you HBO" into the camera as if applauding what he felt was a gift, it was not the battle many predicted.
Finally we had our last ten round contest of the evening- Pauli Malignaggi vs. Edner Cherry. What happened? The supposedly game Cherry just did not fight like the boxers of old- which he needed to. Malignaggi was much faster, and was able to use movement and speed to out box Edner. It became quickly apparent that Chery was going to need to let his hands go and not fear getting hit to land a few. Take three to give one. Should that have been a fear against a man with a measly 5 KO's to his record? Well, apparently Edner was more concerned with fighting well than fighting hard. Yes, he put up a good show but he failed to leave it all in the ring.
In the end we have to ask, did these men let it die in the ring? Did they spill their blood, drop their sweat, and give every ounce of being they had for the boxing fan, for the sport, and for themselves? Or did they fight solid fights. It's one thing when a champion cruises; when an established fighter takes it easy for one night. These are the contenders. The lower top ten...those on the cusp of stardom. Many are on HBO for their first time. It's their chance to shine. A loss is a loss- but an amazing effort is never forgotten.
Boxing After Dark seems to be highlighting fighters who, while the match-up may look good on paper, confuse us in the ring. They fight but always seem to hold something back. If you don't want to run the risk of dying in the ring you are in the wrong sport. Boxing while a sweet science is also a brutal, violent art form created by two men willing to be destroyed for respect. Can we say that Ishe Smith, Sechew Powell, Pauli Malignaggi or Ender Cherry looked like they were willing to be destroyed? Is anything less really acceptable when you're watching young, supposedly hungry fighters who are trying to impress on us they're worth our time or money in the future?
I contest it is not. Boxing After Dark is highlighting good fighters. Solid match-ups. Decent contests....but also apathetic boxers. Men who are willing to do just enough to win. Doing just enough to win gets you a victory- not the seeds for a legend. Where are the Mickey Wards, Arturro Gattis, more men like Jorge Arce who love to fight- where has the passion gone? Some may contest that I'm being too rough on the men. That the fighters fought hard, and well, and the fights were enjoyable. I suggest that a new standard has been created that is different than that of the nostalgic boxer. Would a Rocky Marciano be satisfied with the efforts given tonight? Would Sugar Ray Leonard do just enough to win? Would the legends that seemed to have all stopped being created have shown such a lack of passion?
It seems that no matter who HBO lines up, no matter what the record of the fighters or the stylistic match-up, the fights fall a bit flat. There are still people falling asleep in their recliners. Why should that be? Until B.A.D. stops standing for Boxer's Apathy Defect- a disorder where fighters don't seem to care that we don't have the same passion towards them that was once common, that they aren't loving their job and simply doing it, then we have a problem. Boxing is the one place- where two men face off in the most adversarial contest on the planet- that passion needs to always be found.
Apathy will kill this sport.
Everyone predicted it. When the writers told us HBO cards have been stale we all balked. We cited examples of excitement- we debated amongst ourselves. The boxing fan predicted great things from this Saturday's Boxing After Dark triple header. Berto would shine, Smith and Powell would war, and Malignaggi would face a very game, live opponent in Edner Cherry.
Did we get all that? Well, that is a matter of opinion- and a great fight rarely is. A truly great fight is acknowledged by most boxing fans. A nod of the head, a mutter of respect, a brief, "that was a great fight". Did Berto-Bravo, Powell-Smith or Malignaggi-Cherry give all of us that feeling? No.
Berto dusted a somewhat bewildered looking Bravo who was thrown out of the fight by the New York athletic commission's three knock down rule. He didn't look dangerously hurt- but he did get put down on his butt three times and that was enough. First round KO....and goodnight Berto. Nice seeing you again. Thanks for the highlight reel addition.
Then we moved on to Powell-Smith. Most of us thought it would be a competitive, close fight. Sure, maybe it was a close fight...but why? The first half of the fight saw Ishe Smith- a man who we were told was hungry to be seen as more than a sparring partner and Contender fighter-do little. He did not fight like a boxer dying for respect. He did not seem to be putting 110% out there from the first round. He picked up the pace late but took the early rounds slow. Powell fought gamely, and skillfully, but also seemed to lack that intensity that we all notice in boxers and make mental notes of. The spark that says that man truly loves to fight. Despite the curiously wide decision in favor of Powell, who screamed, "I love you HBO" into the camera as if applauding what he felt was a gift, it was not the battle many predicted.
Finally we had our last ten round contest of the evening- Pauli Malignaggi vs. Edner Cherry. What happened? The supposedly game Cherry just did not fight like the boxers of old- which he needed to. Malignaggi was much faster, and was able to use movement and speed to out box Edner. It became quickly apparent that Chery was going to need to let his hands go and not fear getting hit to land a few. Take three to give one. Should that have been a fear against a man with a measly 5 KO's to his record? Well, apparently Edner was more concerned with fighting well than fighting hard. Yes, he put up a good show but he failed to leave it all in the ring.
In the end we have to ask, did these men let it die in the ring? Did they spill their blood, drop their sweat, and give every ounce of being they had for the boxing fan, for the sport, and for themselves? Or did they fight solid fights. It's one thing when a champion cruises; when an established fighter takes it easy for one night. These are the contenders. The lower top ten...those on the cusp of stardom. Many are on HBO for their first time. It's their chance to shine. A loss is a loss- but an amazing effort is never forgotten.
Boxing After Dark seems to be highlighting fighters who, while the match-up may look good on paper, confuse us in the ring. They fight but always seem to hold something back. If you don't want to run the risk of dying in the ring you are in the wrong sport. Boxing while a sweet science is also a brutal, violent art form created by two men willing to be destroyed for respect. Can we say that Ishe Smith, Sechew Powell, Pauli Malignaggi or Ender Cherry looked like they were willing to be destroyed? Is anything less really acceptable when you're watching young, supposedly hungry fighters who are trying to impress on us they're worth our time or money in the future?
I contest it is not. Boxing After Dark is highlighting good fighters. Solid match-ups. Decent contests....but also apathetic boxers. Men who are willing to do just enough to win. Doing just enough to win gets you a victory- not the seeds for a legend. Where are the Mickey Wards, Arturro Gattis, more men like Jorge Arce who love to fight- where has the passion gone? Some may contest that I'm being too rough on the men. That the fighters fought hard, and well, and the fights were enjoyable. I suggest that a new standard has been created that is different than that of the nostalgic boxer. Would a Rocky Marciano be satisfied with the efforts given tonight? Would Sugar Ray Leonard do just enough to win? Would the legends that seemed to have all stopped being created have shown such a lack of passion?
It seems that no matter who HBO lines up, no matter what the record of the fighters or the stylistic match-up, the fights fall a bit flat. There are still people falling asleep in their recliners. Why should that be? Until B.A.D. stops standing for Boxer's Apathy Defect- a disorder where fighters don't seem to care that we don't have the same passion towards them that was once common, that they aren't loving their job and simply doing it, then we have a problem. Boxing is the one place- where two men face off in the most adversarial contest on the planet- that passion needs to always be found.
Apathy will kill this sport.
Comment