Dumb, dumber dumbest. The “winner take all” concept is back in vogue in some boxing circles. Those who support such a fight pay structure are really not enaged in any meaningul thinking. Let’s start with Saturday night’s junior middleweight war of attrition in which James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland got off the deck in the opening round and showed incredible will and courage to go on to hand Alfredo “Perro” Angulo a sixth round beating which was mercifully and properly ended at just the right moment by Connecticut referee Johnny Callas. Is there any rational being out there who belives that Kirkland, clearly boxing’s most exciting fighter with his attributes and his defaults, should’ve taken all the money, leaving zero for Angulo. Yes, trainer Ann Wolfe’s protege truly “let the Dog out” but that dog more than earned his own purse with a gritty effort, although bruised, battered and bloodied, until the finish. I say no, no, no way and hell, no. Fast forward to this coming Saturday night. Does anyone with half a brain think that 38 year old Mexican counterpuncher Juan Manuel Marquez, in what well could be his final million dollar paynight, should get stiffed just because he will lose to Pound For Pound kingpin, Manny Pacquaio. I don’t care if Juan Ma gets waxed in round one, round 12 or is still standing after 26 minutes of Pacquiao’s expected fury in this, their trilogy bout. Not only has Juan Ma earned his purse just by showing up, what about the people on his payroll who have put in so much work before the first bell rings? Should Hall Of Fame trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain work for nada along with the rest of Team Marquez?
