Kudos to Joe Cortez for not disqualifying Yuriorkis Gamboa for hitting Orlando Salido when he was down. He blew this call on Humberto Soto last year, and it appears he has learned. This unnecessary fouling is getting worse in boxing, and needs to be addressed, but the fight was essentially over, and didn't get any more over from that extra punch. Good job to Salido for not being opportunistic as well.
Speaking of intentional fouling... on the exact same night: Anthony Peterson simply wanted out after realizing he could not beat Brandon Rios. By the second low blow, that was apparent. Do we really need to watch the referee do the standard 3 warnings, 2-3 points, final warning dance as if it was happening unintentionally? Perhaps Peterson was drained, or affected by the 12 pound weight difference, or just outgunned by a superior fighter. Whatever the reason, a fighter should not have to take half a dozen low blows from an opponent who has already mentally left the fight. By the second low blow, referee Mora should have said, "I know you're trying to get out, and/or cheat. You do that again, you're done." The referee did not wait for Jesse Ferguson to hold Mike Tyson for 4 straight rounds while he took points off in their 1986 fight. He stopped the fight, and called it what it was... a surrender, a TKO. Serves the cheater and/or coward right.
There is a lack of honor in boxing too. This has always existed with promoters, but fighters used to at least pretend they wanted to fight anybody. Now, Matt Remillard's people ducked a chance to fight Celestino Caballero and opted for an easy fight instead. They did so with no explanation or shame. Just an announcement that they were not taking the fight. Is there any machismo left in boxing? Any illusion that these contenders aren't protected? I hope his hand-picked opponent knocks him cold, and they lose out on the money they would have made fighting on HBO. Call it an Alex Garcia mistake* It's bad enough Caballero is being ducked by everyone else from 122-126, he doesn't need lesser contenders fearing him, too.
Speaking of Canadians with bad judgement... Canadian judges are becoming downright awful. Williams 9 points ahead of Martinez? Funeka vs. Guzman 1, a draw? Molitor vs. Booth, a draw? Pascal 7 points ahead of Dawson? They must be drinking some of that Michigan water.
*Alex Garcia was the early 90's heavyweight who famously turned down a 6-figure payday to fight George Foreman, saying he was "not ready". At the time, this was hailed as a mature decision, and Garcia even got good press and TV coverage for his next few fights. However, he was eventaully KO'd by a journeyman, and lost a pair of decisions against other limited heavwyeight contenders (including John Ruiz)... thus finishing him as a serious threat.
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com
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