Beep?beep?beep?beep? Now you may be reading those words and thinking of them as just that, words. Now just imagine yourself walking through a virtual hospital, and the words suddenly give way to sound. The sound of beep?beep?beep, is heard as clear as day. You walk through the halls and look into one of the rooms. As you look into that room, you see a bed with a figure lying in it. You walk in, and as you get nearer, you finally see up close just who, or in this case, what, the figure actually is. To your disbelief, you see that the figure lying in that bed is a patient that goes by the name of Pugilism, otherwise known as Boxing.
Outside of the room, a group of doctors congregate to assess the state of boxing. They try in vain to come up with a diagnosis to what ails the sport because each supposed expert continues to come up with their very own theory. The first opinion gives way to the second; then the second gives way to the third; it seems that at the end of the day, we are left with a multitude of theories, but no true remedy. Thus far, more damage has been and is being done, than any true contribution to the healing process.
Now at first glance, you may feel this is a self-destructive piece, as myself being a boxing writer, I fit right into this category. But the reality is this is a case of telling what needs to be heard, as opposed to what one may want to hear. Boxing journalism has been like that of the work of a psychiatrist who himself needs a psychiatrist; now I?m not saying that this same doctor can?t help in the recovery of his patient, but it is to show that this same doctor isn?t without faults himself.
For as long as anyone can remember, faces like Don King, the organizations, managers and others have been accused of being the ones who have placed the sport of boxing into it?s weakened state. Now while some may not want to admit some guilt of the charges levied against them, we as journalist aren?t guiltless in sapping this sport of its needed strength either.
Boxing has taken its steps in the right direction, but grossly uneven reporting has acted as an inhibitor for boxing?s advancement. It?s as if the sport was walking up an escalator, only the escalator is running in the downward direction. With every positive step, non-reporting of the good things that take place in the sport, keeps the sport ultimately at a stand still; and in the minds of an accumulating many, it actually makes the sport lose momentum and credibility.
The effect has caused the sport?s perception to be one in which, if you play the game of word association, the word (boxing) doesn?t receive the one word responses like skills, excitement and most of all, best. These are words that were once synonymous with the sport, but no more. The new word of corruption, and many of that same kind, has made way into the minds of many who view the sport, as if corruption only exists within boxing?s walls. This is again, all because we as journalist are failing to report on the people and talent that make up the positive side of the sport as well. Also, because some journalists wear their disdain on their sleeves and write stories that stretch the truth.
If all you hear about the sport is negatives, then the word negative itself will surely become it?s moniker. If the many positives that do exist were spoken, then the perceptions would be leveled, and ultimately swayed into the direction in which it rightfully belongs, and that is the direction that the sport of boxing, as a whole, is the best sport hands down.
Boxing is a sport with a wonderful history filled with tales of fighters like Joe Louis, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano, and I can go on and on and on. Stories of promotional greats from ?Tex? Rickard to Don King and Bob Arum, to the new faces of Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, Bernard Hopkins and Marco Antonio Barrera at Golden Boy Promotions are stories that make up boxing?s history.
It?s to the boxing journalist?s shame when the world knows the story and the names of Chuck Lydell and Randy Couture more than the names of Raphael Marquez, Israel Vasquez, Jose Luis Castillo, and believe it of not, in some circles, boxing?s perceived best, Floyd Mayweather Jr.
This isn?t to say that combatants like Lydell don?t deserve credit, but it is to say that boxing journalists are allowing his-story to become history, and heard more than that of the his-story that talented boxers, like the aforementioned pugilists, have brought and will bring every night out.
That means more coverage is needed in and out of the ring. Let?s face it; Mike Tyson was knocking out opponents whenever he stepped into the ring, but it was the stories that surrounded him, that made the masses gravitate to his fights. It was because of this reporting that made viewers feel as if they actually knew this fighting dynamo. No one outside of die-hard boxing fans knows the names of the fighters like Castillo, and so many others. It?s a lack of knowledge that I feel we are guilty of allowing to happen.
Who is Castillo, the Marquez brothers (Raphael & Juan Manuel), the aforementioned Mayweather and even England?s Ricky Hatton? Yeah they may be known, but not like they should and could be if their names were spoken, even when they aren?t fighting.
While all of these fighters are boxing stars, the modern version of a boxing star doesn?t shine like the stars of yesteryear. Boxing matches haven?t become boxing events like they should be in recent times because journalistic energies are being put on the cons rather than the pros, like the pros, don?t even exist. We act as if we can’t tell a story or a tale to draw interest in fighters and let the world know who is who.
The up-coming fight between Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. true indeed will be an incredible shot in the arm for boxing with the cemented star power of De La Hoya, but without true coverage and stories on the other fighters coming up and the many that have been here for a very long time, let?s just hope that boxing doesn?t shoot it?s load and will be able to retain the interest that will surely come from the exposure set by the up-coming mega De La Hoya/Mayweather Jr. Superfight.
Yes it is true, real boxing fans do exist, but if they continue to be far and between, then remaining record revenue, exposure and even boxing?s furthered existence will remain in question. There is no question, at least in this writer?s mind, that the sport will be given a big dose of smelling salts, awakening it from it?s unconscious state, if we as the ones who get the info out about the sport of boxing, tell what needs to be told.
Instead of saying how Don King is the one who is bringing the sport down, writers shouldn?t be afraid to not conform to the boxing writer way of pitting Us vs. Them, by saying as well of how King has made more fighters millionaires, and brought in more revenue than any promoter in history; because hey, nobody is perfect
Instead of overly sayings how the IBF was forcing Ricky Hatton to fight mandatory contender Lovemore N?dou, there should be some who remind us all that it was also the IBF, and only the IBF, who thought Hatton should be Kostya Tszyu?s mandatory, thus giving him the opportunity to become Mr. Hatton; but hey, nobody is perfect
I wouldn?t and couldn?t begin to say a negative word about all boxing journalists, because some are fighting the right fight and making the Joes know who?s who. But it has become a case of, ?boxing is going into the toilet because of Don King and the organizations,? all too often in the boxing sections. ESPN hasn?t hid their love for the Ring magazine belt, and their disdain for the organizations? belts, as if the controversy that existed with the Ring taking money for ratings didn?t exist in yesteryear. That was then, right? Once again, hey, nobody is perfect. That includes King, the organizations, as well as outlets like ESPN and HBO.
The certain negatives that exist in the sport just may be there, but I feel rather blessed to have held residence in many sides of the game. I?ve worked on television, radio and print; but I?ve also worked closely with managers, promoters and organizations. Having worked with all of these people, I have come to realize that it?s not a case of Good vs. Evil, because Good and Evil themselves reside on both sides.
Boxing has become a sport similar to the old saying of, too many Chiefs ? not enough Indians. Each subliminal doctor can lend their thoughts on what can heal the sport, but in reality, many are practicing out of their scope of medicine. It?s similar to an anesthesiologist trying to be a surgeon; true both have their participation in the operation, but each have a very different function.
While one may have a thought on what to do, it isn?t fair to use your outlet to sway the thoughts of the readers into believing that you know more than Larry Hazzard as a commissioner, King as a promoter, or Marian Muhammad and Jose Sulaiman as presidents of their organizations. For many journalists, if given the opportunity to truly sit in any of those seats, the heat would be too much to withstand, and inevitably would make them run straight out of those kitchens.
I feel that the right isn?t there for us to speak on the ills of others until we look into that mirror and have that conversation with ourselves; boxing?s resurrection can and will surely start there.
The fact is, boxing should be thought of as a family at this point; and like every family there may be that black sheep, but that black sheep isn?t the whole family. By reporting on every aspect and making a collective push, we will be respecting the legacy of boxing?s forefathers and preserving the family name.
Beep?beep?beep? yes, Pugilism is still lying in that virtual hospital bed, but we all can breath life back into the sport if we do what?s necessary. Is there anyone out there ready to do this? I hope so, because if not, that beep-beep-beep that we hear will inevitably give way to a sport?s flat line, and none can be exempt from blame.
