Excellent piece on Oscar de la Hoya

[freedom213]

Here is a piece written by Eric Raskin, formerly of Ring Magazine. It's pretty interesting reading Raskin's interpretations of certain de la Hoya quotes.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/box...ric&id=3381087

Mr raskin is a good writer but this article is summed up best by the following

Oscar needed a tune up for Floyd, So he fought Forbes the ultimate sparring match without headgear. Oscar needed to sell the fight, so he made some cheesy, obviously scripted statements.

Too many people had unrealistic expectations for this fight including this guy who acts like he's Zoltar the mystic interpreting Oscar's statements. We all know Oscar is half full of ****, he's half promoter isnt he?

[Mr. Ryan]

I agree and I have no problem with him taking shots at Floyd or at Oscar, but atleast try to make valid points.
He seems to have done this with the oscar translation, but sometimes he just sucks. Like this for example:



Let's not bull**** around here. Margarito only backed out of a Cotto fight was because Goosen Tutor offered Margarito a career high payday.



Then he goes to say how Golden Johnson was an academic breakdown. How? Did he really school him? He just went out there and blitzed him. Not to mention how a second knockout victory of The Legendary Kermit Cinton seems to knock his socks off. I'll give Margarito credit for beating Cintron again (no suprise though) since Cintron called for it.

However if Floyd backed out of a fight with Cotto to fight Paul Williams (who was unkwown at the time), Raskin would be all over that. If Floyd knocks out Ricky Hatton again (this fight should never ever happen) Raskin won't give credit for it.

http://thering-online.com/ringpages/readastory1.html

You can tell in this whole article Raskin believes that Floyd is ducking Cotto and Margarito, not just waiting for the perfect moment. He does a good job of playing both sides, but it's obvious.

edit: Oh and this



He's shown fearlessness of the highest order? More like getting the highest pay day out there avaliable...

I agree with you on certain principles, but Raskin is just expressing his feelings. With columns, you intersperse your own opinions, breath life into a cause or belief and try to generate response. Some are more obnoxious than others, but every columnist has people who think they should fall off the face of the Earth. You seem to disagree with his stance, which goes a long with generating a response.

He seems to believe that Mayweather is valuing his personal finances and ego to the detriment of boxing and it's most hotly contested division. Raskin feels that Mayweather is holding the division in limbo while he makes money away from boxing, which is a cause that Raskin feels should be altered. Using a firm stance like this creates strong feelings from both sides and makes buzz.

I feel the line is drawn when a column refuses to recognize the opposition-refutation and makes it strictly an editorial.