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For those who have followed the sport long enough, certain words and phrases have become part of the boxing culture. While some are fitting and appropriate, others get tossed around so freely that they have become pure cliche.
Used to dismiss and often distort reality, some of these cliches are wielded as weapons in the hands of misinformed fans and media members with agendas.
Here are five words that should be reserved for only those who really know how to use them:
Robbery
The last few weeks showed us the difference between a robbery and close, but disputed decision. Paul Williams-Erislandy Lara was a robbery. When most reasonable people scored the fight 9-3 or 8-4 for Lara and the judges turn in scorecards, making Williams the majority decision winner…well, that's a robbery. Devon Alexander-Lucas Matthysse, from about three weeks ago, was a close fight with several rounds that could have gone either way. Judging is subjective, not blind and ******. Labeling every controversial fight a robbery is a disservice to those cases where the right people should be outraged.
Duck
Please get it straight that the only fighters who take on all comers, with little regard to pay, venue, and quality of opposition are journeymen who need money. Every top fighter and their management consider the "right" opponent at the right time. Money, risk, and the ugly shadow of boxing politics factor into every top fighter's opponent selection process. Cowards don't get into prize fighting, and they sure as heck don't exist at the elite levels of the sport. If these professional fighters are cowards, what does that make those accusing them of cowardice?
Bum
Along the same lines as the word above, social media and message boards are full of keyboard warriors calling so-and-so a "bum." Fighters at all levels deserve respect for the sacrifices they make and for the bravery to actually step in a ring where the effort could, literally, cost them their life. Of course, some fighters are better and more skilled than others, but if you're a real fan and/or someone who writes about the sport for a living, respect should be shown to these brave men and women.
Boring
Somewhere between 30-minute pizza delivery and 30-second UFC knockouts, the art of actual boxing got lost. Back in the day, fans would be marveling at the defensive wizardry of Pernell Whitaker as he glided around the ring, making opponents miss wildly. Now, unless someone takes every punch face-first and/or flails a hundred arm punches a round, they are labeled "boring." Real, elite-level boxing is a mix of offense and defense with an emphasis on finely-tuned prize fighting fundamentals. This is the difference between fight fans and boxing fans— Boxing fans want skill, intelligence, and expertly-executed fury while fight fans just want blood.
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