I knew the moment Hopkins hit the floor that he would not be getting up and fighting anymore. Gone are the days of Genaro Hernandez heroic rise from the floor to beat Azumah Nelson, after being fouled. Gone are the days of Tyrell Biggs fighting for 6 rounds with a dislocated shoulder and winning the fight! They are gone for several reasons. Not all can be blamed on the fighters, either. The world around them has changed.
True, that toughness menatilty is a bit gone from sports in general, but the fact that athletes and entertainers have to share the spotlight is partly to blame as well. Referees and doctors are stopping fights… sometimes for legitimate health reasons, but also in the age where everyone is famous, they get the spotlight. They, like everyone else, are trying to be stars now, and love stopping fights themselves to steal the spotlight.
Everyone was talking Russell Mora after the Mares-Agbeko fight, and don’t think for two seconds that “fair but firm” Joe Cortez hasn’t learned that no press is bad press, after Mayweather-Ortiz. We also live in a consequence-free environment for the most part, where accountability and come-uppance are not expected. Referee Marlon Wright seems to be working a ton after screwing Librado Andrade. Ditto Judge Eugenia Williams. The Jersey judges who screwed Erislandy Lara will work again. Mark my words. Above all… remember this: Hopkins will fight again… and on PPV. And we will buy it.
Let us all not pretend in our anger that we have any power. They have us… and they know it. I love my wife. She knows this, and as such, she knows I am not going anywhere the first time she annoys me. Therefore, she often annoys me greatly. I hate that feeling, but I am powerless… as are we. What are we going to do? Turn off our love of boxing? Go watch a sport we hate in its place? Is that any answer? No.
Instead, we should just watch our ESPN/ShoBox fights, turn on everyone we know to them, and eventually the PPV will not have any ignorant semi-fans left for which to pander. Do not swear off boxing, only to hate yourself in 2 weeks when you watch again. Instead shrug it off, and instead change the channel to a Solo Boxeo card.
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com
