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Philippines, 23 Nov 2024 |
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Third Man Is Not The Main Man PhilBoxing.com Tue, 05 Jul 2011  Salinas City, California - Edrin Dapudong, the second fighter from North Cotabato who attempted to win a world title, lost to Mexican titleholder Hernan "Tyson" Marquez in what could have been an exciting fight had it gone beyond the third round when it was stopped. Now, I know that the issue on whether the stoppage by referee Raul Caiz, Jr. of the fight was timely or premature is still the subject of intense, albeit pointless, debate. But let us just go through it again to explore a very interesting field of discussion. Personally, I feel that the stoppage was uncalled for since Dapudong was not badly hurt. He got up right away and raised his gloves to his chest and nodded his head when Caiz asked him whether he wanted to continue fighting. Somebody suggested that since Dapudong walked sideways and did not look at the referee, it was an indication of his unwillingness to fight. I asked Dapudong about his walking sideways and he said: "I walked towards the corner because I was expecting him to command "Box." Besides, is it in the rules of boxing that a boxer who has already nodded his head and raised his gloves indicating he wanted to fight must look at the referee eye to eye and wink to affirm his willingness to engage? Those suggesting that Dapudong did not have the heart to continue are just into a guessing game. They do not know this boy and the size of his heart. I should know. He grew up under my care. He is what remains of the real Bravehearts. The fainthearted have all been sent back to school or back to their villages to farm. The argument here is not whether Dapudong would have won that fight or not. Marquez could have knocked him out in the later rounds, who knows. But it is also possible that Dapudong could have withstood the onslaught and score an upset. The debate is whether the stoppage after a flush knockdown was warranted. Mexican boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez who was at ringside to do the TV commentary for Azteca TV said he also believed the stoppage was premature. Top Rank PR man Ricardo Jimenez, who was with me on the way back to the US mainland from Hermosillo, also felt the stoppage was too early. "Just when the fight was starting to get exciting." That is basically the point I am trying to raise. Not only was Dapudong deprived of the opportunity to prove his toughness after that knockdown, the stoppage by the referee also deprived Mexican boxing fans and television viewers of the opportunity of seeing an exciting fight. Boxing is all about action-packed excitement. Knockdowns, knockouts, cuts, bruises and welts, even bitten off ears in some cases, are part of the menu. Suggestions that the referee is in the ring to protect fighters from further injuries stray away from the very nature and essence of the sport. His role is to ensure that the fight is fair and square. Would Jorge Arce have won the superbantamweight title had the fight been stopped by the referee when he suffered a gaping wound across his face and when he fell and wobbled time and again because of the punishment inflicted by Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr.? Going back farther, would Julio Cesar Chavez be the legend that he is now had the referee, Richard Steele, stepped in "to protect" him in his first fight against Meldrick "The Kid" Taylor in their world junior welterweight championship fight on March 17, 1990? Chavez was being badly punished by the talented Taylor and was behind by 5 points and 7 points in the scorecards of two of the judges when he knocked out The Kid at 2:58 minutes of the 12th and the last round. Exciting bouts happen when the referee, who is appropriately called The Third Man in the ring remains just that: The Third Man. When he crosses the thin line that separates roles of the Third Man and the Main Man, that is when we have questionable bouts. As in Raul Caiz Sr.'s point deduction slapped against Filipino challenger Z Gorrez when he fought and lost by split decision against Fernando Montiel in Cebu City. That point deduction, made without a prior warning, cost the Philippines a world boxing title. On the other hand, Carlos Padilla's infamous long count on the crawling Manny Pacquiao who was knocked down by Australian Nedal Hussein in their fight in 2000 gave us the boxing icon that we all idolize today. Now, when or where the Third Man crosses over to become the Main Man also sometimes depends on where the fight is being held and who is behind the fight. But such is the reality of boxing. As for Edrin Dapudong? He lost, period. Back to the drawing board. But the dream to produce a world champion from out of the ranks of the poor boys from North Cotabato lives on. It will never die. Top photo L-R: The author, Jorge Arce, trainer Bruce Lerio and Dapudong after Dapudong's fight with Hernan Cortez in Mexico. Click here for a complete listing of columns by this author. Click here for a complete listing of this author's articles from different news sources. |
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