STRAIT JABS

boxing_gloves Felix Sturm says he wants to unify the middleweight titles. Yeah, as long as he picks the venue, judges, referee, and signs no rematch clause. I'm sure the other belt holders at Middleweight will be lining up to agree to that, Felix! Let's see if you can even beat Golovkin. Something tells me you cannot.

Speaking of unification, it looks like we may soon be farther rather than closer to Super Middleweight cleanliness. Andre Ward is the one and only champion, but the number one contender is not being fought. If Ward relinquishes the WBC belt as is rumored, two more contenders get ducked in Adonis Stevenson and Anthony Dirrell. Not that they shouldn't fight each other... neither of them have done anything to merit a title shot yet, and it would be a good competitive fight. However, it should not be for a belt, and not be so that Ward will have even less motivation to face anyone pulse-worthy soon.

Speaking of Super Middleweights having a pulse, check the next couple of Jermain Taylor and Kelly Pavlik opponents. Not that I need to see them face each other a third time, but it's time to test the waters with someone real. Give Allan Green credit for continuing to take challenges that are probably past his capabilities. At least he's trying.

Speaking of trying, I don't like the attitude of the recent promoters of screw-job fights. First off, it is depressing that it is not one person but everyone. Sturm promoted his own bad decisions. Don King was behind Cloud-Campillo, while Goossen Tutor was behind Williams-Lara, and Golden Boy was behind Kirkland-Molina. Now, Top Rank is behind Abril - Rios. They all do it. Secondly, why no attempt to give rematches? Why no comments on innocence or guilt? It smells fishier after this silence than it did after the decision was rendered.

Finally, speaking of tainted senses, the Abril-Rios decision did stink, but it did so on a high level that big fights probably loom for both men. Instead of rebuilding Rios like is appropriate, they get to pretend he's a winner, and give him a big fight. And now that Abril has likely been screwed on all 3 of his losses, he is a sympathetic figure who deserves a big money fight. I hate bad decisons, but maybe this one will help both guys out.

Who knows? Maybe if Abril got the decision, he might have been shelved. It's what happened to Zahir Raheem, when he dared to defy Bob Arum's edict and lose passively to Erik Morales. Raheem took Morales to school that night, and barely survived two corrupt scorecards. Morales received his big money rematch with Pacquiao anyway, and Raheem was left on the shelf for many months, then screwed out of a close decision against Acelino Freitas. You don't mess with Bottom Line Bob!

Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com