A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQoLfGlXBLY
Jamel Herring must’ve been the most miserable champion in the world over the past year.
The 130-pound titleholder had a rough 2020. His defense against Jonathan Oquendo was postponed twice after he tested positive for COVID-19. And the fight itself turned into a mess, as Oquendo was disqualified for intentional head butts and Herring was labeled a quitter for saying he couldn’t continue because of a bad cut.
Then his showdown with former two-division titleholder Carl Frampton was postponed three times for various reasons before it finally took place Saturday in Dubai.
It’s no wonder Herring said immediately after he had his hand raised Saturday, “It was an emotional rollercoaster just getting here.”
Well, the ride ended on the highest note of his career. Herring responded to his critics by fighting through another deep gash above his right eye to put Frampton down twice and knock him out in the sixth round, forcing the loser into retirement.
Herring used his height and reach advantages to become a sharpshooter and keep Frampton at bay early in the fight. Then, after the blood started flowing, he went into beast mode as if to say to his critics, “I’ll show you.”
The southpaw put Frampton down with a straight left in Round 5 but was only getting started. In Round 6, he hurt the challenger badly with a vicious left uppercut and followed with a barrage of punches that resulted in the stoppage.
Herring never looked better, which is saying something given his age: 35.
I don’t know how Herring would fare against the gifted Shakur Stevenson, who might end up on the top of pound-for-pound lists one day, but he’ll always have the night he knocked out Frampton in spectacular fashion.
***
BAD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf-Cbj__k_0
It seems like yesterday when Frampton outpointed previously unbeaten rivals Scott Quigg and Leo Santa Cruz to become the 2016 Fighter of the Year.
The Northern Irishman was quick, athletic and skillful. I used to call him a thoroughbred, a term I use only to describe those boxers with truly unusual gifts. Indeed, “The Jackal” was really something at that time.
Now, at 34, it’s all over for him. He confirmed after the fight that he intends to retire.
I think Frampton remains a good fighter, just not quite what he was before. And he evidently doesn’t want the world to see a version of himself that’s not 100%. He’s 2-2 in his last four fights, with losses to Josh Warrington and now Herring. That’s not Carl Frampton.
And there’s his family. All athletes make personal sacrifices to succeed in their respective sports. However, there comes a time when you question the trade-off. Frampton has decided that he won’t give up more precious time with his wife and kids if he can’t fight at the highest level.
“I’ve been away for so long,” he said after the fight. “I’ve missed them growing up, my own kids.”
The pain in that comment is easy feel. It’s time for him to step away.
He can look back on his 12-year professional career with great pride. He became the first fighter from his country to become a two-division champion when he took down Santa Cruz in their first fight in July 2016. And the fact he was named Fighter of the Year is a rare honor reserved only for the best in the business.
Enjoy retirement, champ.
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***
WORSE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF2biX9jzF0
Was the fight between Murodjon Akhmadaliev and Ryosuke Iwasa stopped too soon?
Akhmadaliev, defending his 122-pound titles Saturday in his home country of Uzbekistan, was pounding Iwasa – with his back against the ropes – when referee Yuri Koptzev jumped in to save the Japanese fighter from further punishment.
Iwasa looked stunned and then smiled, his way of saying that Koptzev had made a mistake. I’m not sure I agree with him.
On one hand, the former 122-pound titleholder didn’t seem to be badly hurt during the onslaught, which he would say gave him a good chance of weathering the storm. And the opportunity to win unified titles is rare. He could argue that he deserved more time to work his way out of the predicament.
On the other hand, Iwasa had taken substantial punishment earlier in the round and, in the final flurry, he took 15 or more punches without offering much of anything in return.
Koptzev couldn’t know for sure the damage done to Iwasa. All he saw was one fighter landing a brutal series of unanswered shots, which is typical criteria used in stopping a fight.
And remember: Koptzev had to make his decision in real time, which is difficult. The last thing he wants to do is wait too long to step in, which can result in tragedy.
For the record, I thought the stoppage was premature as it happened for the reasons stated above. However, after watching it a few more times, I’m convinced the call could’ve gone either way.
For that reason, I don’t believe Koptzev should be judged harshly.
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***
RABBIT PUNCHES
The speculation over Terence Crawford’s next opponent has become ridiculous, with talk that the welterweight titleholder might face Manny Pacquiao, Shawn Porter or Keith Thurman after promoter Bob Arum said a major announcement was coming last week. It never came. Maybe that’s because Crawford’s handlers are holding out hope they can land Pacquiao as others wait in the wings. Or maybe it was just blather, which is too common in boxing. I doubt it will be Pacquiao, who I’m guessing will want more money than is available. It won’t be Thurman, who is coming off a loss to Pacquiao. That leaves Porter as the leading candidate. I, for one, am tired of the process, though. Get back to me when a formal announcement is made. … The same goes for Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Shut up until it happens. … Artist Richard Slone, well known for his boxing paintings, recently said he was banned from Instagram because of the “explicit violence” in his work. Boxing is violent, as all combat sports are. Does that mean everyone connected combat sports is in danger of going to what Slone called “IG jail”? And what about football, rugby, ice hockey, et al? Where does this end? C’mon, Instagram. You can do better. … Donnie Nietes, 38, made the case that he can still fight on a high level by handily defeating Pablo Carrillo on the Herring-Frampton card. The Filipino’s victory wasn’t scintillating but it was thorough. The former four-division titleholder might not beat the likes of Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman Gonzalez and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai but he’d give them a run for their money. Judge Ferenc Budai scored the Nietes-Carrillo fight 96-95. Horrible card. The other two judges had it 99-91 and 98-92.
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