IS ENOUGH, FINALLY JUST THAT?
Las Vegas, NV-The death of Leavander Johnson last Saturday was tragic. He leaves behind a loving family, many friends, and a boxing world that really doesn’t give a s*it! They will put forth their best “we’re sorry” face, and sooner than you can say “sanctioning mob,” boxing, the disease laden prostitute that she is, will continue on her merry path. What I’m saying is that if you’re expecting some change, resulting from what I feel was the unnecessary death of the defending IBF lightweight titleholder, then you’re sadly mistaken.
SPIT IT ONE HAND………
This is boxing, the last wild, wild, west of the sports landscape. It’s a seedy world, one in which you can “expect” in one hand, and “spit” in the other. At the end of every day in this game, all you’ve got is a handful of spit. And while some of you will say, Leavander, he isn’t even in the ground yet, and there’s plenty of time to point fingers. I have to agree, and disagree, for there is a plethora of time, and that time is now.
“DIED A CHAMPION,” SAYS PROMOTER LOU DI BELLA
OK, I guess if I had to choose between dying in the ring as a champion, this or putting my head on the chopping block, I guess the former would be a much preferred way of ending matters. Both myself, and Cliff Rold, we know this is a dangerous game, and there will be times when the Grim Reaper buys a ringside seat, and then takes someone with him. What we’re trying to say is that unless this mechanism utilized by the rating groups is changed, and dramatically, there will be many more cases like Leavander Johnson, you watch and see!
AGAIN “FIGHT NEWS” TAKES “WRONG” SIDE FOLKS!
For the sake of redundancy, I will not repeat much of what Cliff wrote earlier this week. And, I will ignore that ludicrous press release (see propaganda/disinformation sheet) penned by IBF PR guy Ricardo Salazar, except for one thing. What a couple of ass*oles Karl Freitag, and his #2 schlep at “Fight News” Flattop Pope are. They printed the entire two page dribble of Salazar, who was attacking Cliff Rold, this for his calling for the head of IBF President Marian Muhammad. And never once did they mention, who, or what the puck Salazar was actually referring to!
NFL PLAYERS DON’T SACK 74-YEAR OLDS, DO THEY?
The disparity in talent, reflexes, and overall athletic superiority, this was obvious as Jesus Chavez displayed early on that he was the young NFL lineman, and Johnson, unfortunately, he was playing the part of a geriatric quarterback wearing lead boots. In each round, Johnson was “sacked” by the younger, fresher, and far more talented Chavez, that much we already know. But, again we need to examine how, and why the IBF system of rating boxers is a cancer.
JOHNSON KO’D IN FIRST IBF “GIFT” FIGHT
Looking back now, I’d have to say the Javier Jauregui-Leavander Johnson bout of November 2003, that I feel this fight was part of a dream/scheme by IBF officials to crown an IBF champ from New Jersey, where they are based. Johnson gets hammered like roofing nails for 11 rounds, and it’s finally stopped. It was evident, this even maybe to Jose Feliciano, that even though Leavander was trying, the once highly touted (1994 peak) prospect had no legs. Levander looked beyond shot!
BEATS JUST ONE HOBO, & ANOTHER IBF BOUT!
So, they did Johnson a HUGE favor in allowing Leavander to fight Stefan Zoff for the “again” vacant title. He earned this prestigious posting, only after his beating Rogue Cassiani, who was 0-6-1 in his prior seven fights! Zoff, a European pug, nondescript, let alone top 12 material, Johnson beats him for the IBF title. That bogus win put him in line for a ride to the morgue, this the result of his fighting way out of his league against Jesus Chavez.
BLAME THE SYSTEM OF BOXING, THEN THE IBF!
Having seen countless numbers of undeserving guys fight for titles, rarely does it result in death. But the probability of something going wrong when you match a tiger, with a domestic house cat, is great. In this instance, it produced a death. I don’t even know if a Federal Commission, if that’s even the answer. Maybe, maybe, it is time to abolish boxing all together! Why go to those extremes you ask? Because, it isn’t going to change! And beleive me when I say there’s another Leavander Johnson waiting to happen!
