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By Jake Donovan - Fool me once…
The reaction was sharp and harsh when word first leaked out Tuesday afternoon of former middleweight king Kelly Pavlik abruptly pulling out of this weekend’s schedule tune-up against Darryl Cunningham.
Unprofessional.
Disrespectful.
Disappointing.
Irrational.
Illogical.
The adjectives were endless in describing his actions, which resulted in the entire show being canceled and leaving Showtime without a boxing telecast to air this weekend.
Most of the responses came from the perspective of perhaps still believing that Pavlik had enough left to live up to past glory and promise. But one particular viewpoint was startingly overlooked:
The fact that it’s consistent with his past behavior.
It’s hardly the first time he’s pulled out of a fight and left everyone else standing in the cold.
It’s not even the first time he’s disrespected the folks at Showtime.
What it can possibly be is the last time he’s put in a position to let anyone down.
But what we have to ask ourselves is how he made it back to that point in the first place.
In an industry where there seem to be fewer stars with each passing generation, there exists the desperation to cling to past names, in hopes that they help bridge the gap while in search of the next “it” fighter.
With that in mind, Pavlik has been given as many free passes as a top fighter – formerly or otherwise – can be granted without actually earning such forgiveness.
It was along those lines in which we even gave a damn about what was billed as a ‘special edition of Showtime’s Shobox: The Next Generation.’ It was billed as a special edition, as is often the case when the headlining act strays from the spirit of the series, which normally focuses on rising young talent. [Click Here To Read More]
The reaction was sharp and harsh when word first leaked out Tuesday afternoon of former middleweight king Kelly Pavlik abruptly pulling out of this weekend’s schedule tune-up against Darryl Cunningham.
Unprofessional.
Disrespectful.
Disappointing.
Irrational.
Illogical.
The adjectives were endless in describing his actions, which resulted in the entire show being canceled and leaving Showtime without a boxing telecast to air this weekend.
Most of the responses came from the perspective of perhaps still believing that Pavlik had enough left to live up to past glory and promise. But one particular viewpoint was startingly overlooked:
The fact that it’s consistent with his past behavior.
It’s hardly the first time he’s pulled out of a fight and left everyone else standing in the cold.
It’s not even the first time he’s disrespected the folks at Showtime.
What it can possibly be is the last time he’s put in a position to let anyone down.
But what we have to ask ourselves is how he made it back to that point in the first place.
In an industry where there seem to be fewer stars with each passing generation, there exists the desperation to cling to past names, in hopes that they help bridge the gap while in search of the next “it” fighter.
With that in mind, Pavlik has been given as many free passes as a top fighter – formerly or otherwise – can be granted without actually earning such forgiveness.
It was along those lines in which we even gave a damn about what was billed as a ‘special edition of Showtime’s Shobox: The Next Generation.’ It was billed as a special edition, as is often the case when the headlining act strays from the spirit of the series, which normally focuses on rising young talent. [Click Here To Read More]
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