Sunday, June 10, 2012

The biggest boxing robbery I ever saw, and it stinks of Bob Arum

Update: Sidney Martinez says it perfectly, in an exceptionally written piece. Very well put, sir.

I've been watching boxing since I was old enough to follow TV, and I've never seen anything like this. We can talk all we want about last year's controversial split decision in Pacquiao-Marquez III, which was unarguably close. But Pac-man's loss tonight to Bradley, the dirtiest fighter Pac's dealt with since Ricky HFatton, was clearly fixed when Manny dominated for at least 10 of the 12 rounds. The announcers were flabbergasted as they tried to digest the "upset." One put it perfectly: "This decision was criminal. Pacquiao won that fight!" Something simply wasn't kosher with the judges. When the second scorecard was announced, Bradley started raising his arms in victory. He inwardly knew he was outclassed, but he still knew he was going to be announced the winner. He was also very quick to offer a precise date for the rematch.

So, Bradley, how much did you promise them of your winnings, huh? Or is this Arum's way of doubling his earnings, no matter that it screws over Pacquiao?

Bradley can now be proud of himself: he's been given something he didn't earn, and millions of people around the world saw it. If he had any honor, which he clearly does not, he would have declined the belt and quietly explained, "No way, everybody saw that I lost the fight." But now he can stand with Oscar de la Hoya (q.v. his 2004 fight with Felix Sturm), and Floyd Mayweather (who had a more than questionable 2004 victory over Castillo). Bradley knows he lost: he was heard admitting to Bob Arum before the decision was announced, "I tried hard but I couldn't beat the guy."

Here is a good thread: the judges have truly killed boxing. Who the hell cares to watch fights now, when decisions can still be fixed, and there's no accountability? There was a fight I remember, maybe in the late 80s or early 90s when my dad and I watched the most boxing together. For the life of me I can't remember the names, but they were both Mexicans, and one had his home state (Mexicali?) shaved into the back of his head. The old man and I couldn't believe that the latter won when he did hardly anything. I thought that was bad. I thought Roy Jones Jr. and Michael Carbajal got robbed at the 1988 Olympics (and Jones had gotten robbed in '86 and '87), always courtesy of anti-American judges. Those were nothing compared to tonight.

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