STRAIT JABS

chris_strait Just when you think we’re done with these defensive minded, good-enough performances, here comes Omar Narvaez. When will these guys get it through their heads, it is no victory to go the distance, if you stink out the joint? Michael Katsidis gets KO’d. Ditto Jorge Linares. We want to see them again, because they are exciting!

Speaking of exciting, California referees need to calm the hell down. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. They, with almost 100% accuracy, stop fights too damn quick. Jorge Linares was bleeding, and a bit hurt… but he was way in front, with only a round and a half to go. He deserved better than the Raul Caiz wave-off, AS HE WAS SLIPPING A PUNCH, AND COUNTERING!! I am disgusted that no one is saying anything.

Speaking of not saying anything, shouldn’t Jean Pascal be a bit louder about the Dawson-Hopkins overturn? This almost certainly means there will be a rematch of a fight no one was enjoying, and a delay on his Dawson return. Not to mention all the delays that a protest will cause. Hopkins ’ win at age 46 was inspirational, but it is holding the light heavyweight division hostage at this point.

Speaking of being held hostage, the heavyweight belts being uniformly Klitschko’d, brings up the only bright spot in the WBA’s ridiculous “Super Champion” policy. We get to see some good matchups between contenders. When delusional fighters think they are fighting for a championship, they are more apt to fight a tough opponent. Boswell is a live underdog against Povetkin, if only because of his power.

Speaking of powerful, I caught the Kassim Ouma biography on the Sundance channel… and it was quite gripping. Only critiques: Very little mention was made of his life in Florida , and no mention of him surviving a shooting there. It ended before he started getting robbed by judges on a regular basis, which was a good thing.

Speaking of regular basis, I’d like to say that quarterly is not a boxing series. I admire anyone for putting on multiple fights per year, but if that multiple is only 3 or 4 in a major metropolitan area, we’ve really slipped. Monthly is fine, but even that is rare now. I remember only 20 years ago, having weekly Monday night fights at a big venue like the Great Western Forum. Titles were on the line more often than not. Have we fallen that far, that fast?

Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com