It does not happen much any more but in a couple of recent fights it certainly has. I mean, how long has it been since we as boxing fans have had the luxury of witnessing competitive fights. It just isn't done anymore, matchmakers work for promoters and promoters want their fighters to win. So unfortunately, we as boxing fans are used to seeing lopsided and mismatched fights. But it only takes one good pugilistic battle and BAM we're back and loving our sport of the sweet science. Kind of like my Golf game, I hack for 17 holes and whack, beautiful drive followed with a sweet 7 iron onto the green with a give me putt for birdie.
HBO's Boxing after Dark main event featuring Erik Morales vs. Marco Antonio Barrera, February 19th. was certainly a flash from the past. Remember Marvin Hagler vs. Vito Antuofermo or how about Salvador Sanchez vs. Wilfredo Gomez, perfect demonstrations of the sport we call the Sweet Science. And Saturday, February 26th. we saw Oscar DeLaHoya bring it back to basics and perform like the Gold Medallist he is.
There is hope for the sport of boxing after all. The days of dominance by Don King and Robert Arum are ending, they know it and we can feel it. With the emergences of many promoters like America Presents, Cedric Cushner, Banner promotions, Michael Acri Promotions, Ringside Boxing Promotion, Murad Muhamad and Universum Box Promotion and the exploding popularity of boxing outside the United States of America, your duet of King and Arum can no longer manipulate the sport of boxing. Don't get me wrong, even your smaller promoters have their own agenda and will favor their own fighters, providing us with mismatches and boring fights but what they also provide is exposure of boxers. No longer is the case where King and Arum fighters hog up the televised broadcasts.
Soon we can get back to where a champion is a champion and we will not have to settle for "Prince" Naseem fighting skid row boxing talent for world championships. Not degrading any fighter because I tip my hat to anyone who has the guts to step into the ring. I merely state champions should defend against championship caliber fighters.
It has been difficult to break the stronghold King and Arum have had on boxing but it certainly is beginning to weaken. King has elected to have Felix Trinidad fight David Reid instead of pursuing an immediate multimillion dollar rematch with DeLaHoya. The stubbornness of both King and Arum refusing to take the lesser cut has jeopardized this rematch indefinitely. This fight between Trinidad and Reid will put America Presents on the same level of King and Arum. Should Reid win this fight, America Presents will put themselves in the same class of King and Arum. Something that will happen sooner or later anyway.
Look for the Trinidad vs. Reid fight to be one of these exciting and fan pleasing battles. Should Trinidad dethrone Reid March 3th then a rematch with De LaHoya at the welterweight division is history. King will surely have Trinidad taking charge of the 154 pound division. We can then look for fights against Fernando Vargas, Javier Castillejo and Harry Simon, all champions in the division. However, should Reid defeat Trinidad, look for King and Trinidad at the bargaining table with DeLaHoya.
The Sweet Science, do I dare say it's back?
-Blackbull-