Posts Tagged ‘Muhammad Ali’

Angelo Dundee 1921-2012 [VIDEO]

Posted: February 2, 2012 in Fight News
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Angelo Dundee, the man who developed and trained legends Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, died Wednesday night (February 1) at his home in Tampa, Florida. He was 90 years old.

Dundee had been hospitalized with a blood clot before returning home to be surrounded by family. The cause of death was a heart attack.

Starting in boxing following  service in World War II, Dundee would go on to train 15 world champions. Along with the aforementioned Ali and Leonard, Dundee also trained Hall of Famers George Foreman and Carmen Basilio.

Ali is recognized as his star pupil, having worked the corner for all but two fights of the Greatest’s career. The pair last got together two weeks ago when Dundee helped celebrate Ali’s 70 birthday.

Dundee was known for his ability to motivate fighters against all odds. He pushed Ali to continue in his first championship bout against Sonny Liston when he was blinded by ointment in the middle of the fight. Ali would go on to force Liston to quit in one of the greatest upsets in boxing history. Dundee famously told Leonard ”you’re blowing it, kid!” when he fell behind late against Tommy Hearns. Leonard would rally and TKO Hearns in the 14th round.

Angelo Dundee is survived by two children.

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Happy 70th Birthday Muhammad Ali! [VIDEO]

Posted: January 17, 2012 in Fight News
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The Greatest turned 70 years old today. Although December marked 30 years since he was last in a boxing ring, Muhammad Ali’s influence still looms large in the sport. For his 69th birthday, we took a look at six underrated fights from his career. This year, we’ll take a brief look at one of Ali’s more remarkable deeds outside the ring. It’s these instances of kindness coupled with his wider known humanitarian work that’s made him one of the most loved cultural icons in the world. Parkinson’s has silenced Ali’s voice, but not his spirit.

ALI SAVES MAN FROM COMMITTING SUICIDE

MUHAMMAD ALI LIFE AFTER BOXING 

Remembering the Greats: Martin Luther King, Jr Supports Muhammad Ali’s Vietnam Stand [VIDEO]

Posted: January 16, 2012 in Remembering the Greats
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On the surface, Dr. Martin Luther King and Muhammad wouldn’t seem like two men that had a whole lot in common during the late 60s. In Ali you had a cocky, outspoken athlete in his prime who was a member of the controversial Muslim sect The Nation of Islam. In King, you had a charismatic Baptist minister who utilized the principles Ghandi’s non-violence principles to fight racist oppression against African-Americans in the United States. One of the common grounds between these two men was their vehement opposition to the war in Vietnam, which in turn made them both two of more criticized figures in mainstream America.

During the final years of his life, Dr. King expanded his message beyond Civil Rights to the economic and political disparities facing all poor Americans. In the below clip, Dr. King has nothing but praise for Ali’s decision not to enlist for the Vietnam War. For many of us who didn’t live the era, it’s hard to imagine a time when King and Ali, two of the more saintly American icons of today, where among the most reviled individuals in mainstream America. Makes you wonder what they’d say about today’s politics.

Friend Says Muhammad Ali Doing Well After Hospital Scare

Posted: December 2, 2011 in Fight News
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Louisville, Kentucky radio host John Ramsey, a close family friend of Muhammad Ali, says the sports icon has made a complete recovery after reportedly collasping and falling unconscious at his Phoenix-area home last month.

Ali, 69, was rushed to the Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center on November 19 after reportedly “slipping out of consciousness at his Phoenix-area home,” according to Star Magazine. Additional reports from Star stated Ali passed out in a car and became completely unresponsive once entering his home.

Ramsey, who spoke with Ali’s wife Lonnie last night (December 1), confirmed the boxing legend is in no further health danger.

“[Muhammad  Ali is] home and well, for a person who has had Parkison’s since the 1980s,” said Ramsey. “He may not be going in the direction you or I like, but no one is on alert. That’s the truth… I don’t think he stayed very long [at the hospital].”

Muhammad Ali Center spokeswoman Jeanie Kahnke verified that Ali is in good spirits and plans to publicly celebrate his 70th birthday on January 19 in Louisville. Ali’s last appearance was in November when he attended Joe Frazier’s funeral in Philadelphia.

Although rumored to have been treated for congestion, details of Muhammad Ali’s hospital visit have not been disclosed.

Kaliesha West: Into the Mind of a Fighter

Posted: June 17, 2011 in Fight Interviews
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“It’s an uphill battle for all women, regardless if you’re a champion. It’s a luck of the draw…”

When a boxer wins his or her first world title, it’s a time of reflection and accomplishment. Kaliesha “Wild Wild” West felt those sentiments last September win she won the WBO bantamweight title via a seventh round TKO over Angel Gladney. This Saturday (June 18), West makes her title defense against Ava Knight, the only woman to defeat her in the ring. It’s not just her own redemption that West fights for; the scrappy 23-year-old views every battle as an opportunity to galvanize respect and exposure for women’s boxing.

In this exclusive interview, Kaliesha West speaks on challenging sexism, downplaying her sex appeal, and even predicts the outcome of Mayweather-Pacquiao. Get familiar with one of boxing’s young stars.

Beats,Boxing & Mayhem: It sounds like you had an intense workout today. Run us through your daily routine.

Kaliesha West: Well my Dad (Juan West) also trains a couple MMA guys and they come whenever we have a lot of cardio workouts. It’s non-stop. For each round they’ll be three of us around a bag and he’ll call a punch and say 10 straight. Or power shot four to the body. It’s back to back to back. We do eight rounds of that, then six rounds of mitts. Then we did jump rope and hit the heavy bag, sit-ups and push-ups.

Cardio training is hard because is not focused on power. It’s about trying to get us as exhausted as we can possibly be. Some guys were throwing up. When I was out of shape it had me spitting up and gagging [laughs].

Beats,Boxing & Mayhem: You’re opponent, Ava Knight, was just named a few weeks back. How difficult is it to start a camp not knowing who your opponent is going to be?

West: Boxing is unpredictable and we have no seasons. One thing I’ve always done is stay in the gym. Not training extreme, but just to stay around my weight and in decent shape. So if we get a call for a fight next month we can just step it up. With boxing you never know when the opportunity comes, when an opponent is injured and you’re the back up. You have to stay ready.

Beats,Boxing & Mayhem: Even though you won the title in your last bout, what are you looking to improve on?

West: My last four fights I’ve been real calm, relaxed and content in the ring. Like B-Hop, you can see how relaxed he is. It allows you to see everything. Early on in my career I wasn’t like that. I let the crowd get to me and other people hype me. I’d always go all out like a rookie or amateur. One of my goals is to remain calm and alert so I can put everything together in the ring. I’ve been doing good in my last few fights, but I want to make sure I continue that.

Beats,Boxing & Mayhem: Was your previous lack of calmness the reason Ava Knight beat you the first time?

West: I don’t want to blame the crowd or anyone because in the end it was me who let the crowd get to me. When we fought it was a crazy crowd; we got a standing ovation. It was a small venue so you could hear everything. I still remember someone telling me what to do in round six. I fought with a lot of emotions. After the loss I cried so hard. It was my first title opportunity. I was still young, about 20. I wasn’t even old enough to drink yet [laughs].

Beats,Boxing & Mayhem: Do you feel you’ve become more of a target now that you have a belt?

West: Well, in women’s boxing it’s a little different because it’s still so new in the United States. I can say I’ve been called out by a few people, but the circumstances were so unrealistic that it wasn’t even a fight that could be made. When you have Timothy Bradley calling out Manny Pacquiao, that’s a fight that can actually happen.

In women’s boxing it becomes about what promoter will pay the sanctioning fees, get a decent cut for each fighter and other things. It’s an uphill battle for all women, regardless if you’re a champion. It’s a luck of the draw.

Beats, Boxing & Mayhem: It seems like this is a labor of love because the big money isn’t there yet. In the few years you’ve been in the business have you seen any significant improvement?

West: People who see me locally and around California all say, “Oh my God she’s a beast, she fights like a dude!” I’ve seen myself touching everyone’s heart wherever I go. You’ve got to capture the fan’s hearts. I’ve done that win, lose or draw. Once we get that opportunity on TV, that’s when things will be amazing. The Olympics are around the corner so I can see it, the writing’s on the wall. It’s just a matter of time.

I don’t let it get to me that I’ve been dealing with the sexism and lack of equality over the last five years. I do it for the love. Of course it’s a slap in the face. It hurts when people say they don’t deal with women’s boxing. But it makes the fight better because we’re fighting for something more than just the win.

Beats, Boxing & Mayhem: Do you find yourself having to correct and debate a lot of people who ridicule women’s boxing?

West: Yeah! It’s a stereotype that’s so old school. People who think that way are simple. I’ve had people who don’t know anything about boxing say “You box? You’re
too small. Why do you want that pretty face to get hit?” I love this sport. People need to treat it like a sport. If you don’t want to support than don’t say anything at all. People don’t show love until someone close to them wants to do it. That’s what has been happening lately. There have been a lot of females that want to box now. Next thing you’ll know everyone will know a woman who’s boxing.

Beats, Boxing & Mayhem: You’re also a boxing writer so you have an insight that many journalists don’t have. From what you’ve seen from other writers, what do you think needs to be improved on?

West: I’ve been told I do great stories when covering fights, like when I did Canelo and Hatton. A lot of writers have never really stepped foot in the ring. So they only see who wins the round and who lost. But they don’t really get into detail of how the fighter won the round. If they improved their detail it would make readers go ballistic.

Beats,Boxing & Mayhem: I spoke with Naazim Richardson a few weeks back. He believes that every boxing writer should be required to spar a few hours out the week.

West: Yeah, because then they’d know what they’re looking at! It’s like seeing something in black and white. With that experience they’d see it in color.

Beats, Boxing & Mayhem: You have a very diverse multi-cultural background: Mexican, Asian, black etc. Out of all the traditions within you, which music styles do you gravitate more towards?

West: I listen to a lot of weird music [laughs]. When I was coming up I listened to a lot of gangsta rap in high school like NWA, Bone, Too $hort and DJ Quik. As I
got older I started getting into Don Omar and Spanish music. And European techno like Passion Pit. I just love dance music now like LMFAO. I don’t really like the radio. I have my Pandora set up. I’ll put on a Spanish song in a second. Whenever I go out I can dance to whatever music you put on.

Beats,Boxing & Mayhem: You’re a very attractive woman, but I noticed you keep a line when it comes to the level of sex appeal you show in your photos…

West: Yes! In my past I was required to do a photo shoot I wasn’t comfortable doing. I had a lot of makeup on my face. I want people to see me as a fighter. The #1 thing I don’t like is when people say I’m too pretty to be a fighter. It is almost like being underestimated. No one likes that. I try to put my image out there in a classy way, but I grew up a tomboy. I always wore basketball shorts and had my hair tied back in a ponytail. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I started dressing like a girl. I wore my first pair of heels last year.

I’m a very conservative girl with my body. I had to get used to wearing a sports bra for fights. I’d rather people see a fighter first. Once I get that respect in the ring, then I’ll start showing that softer side outside it. But don’t ever ask me for a nude shoot. I’m telling everyone that now [laughs]. That would just change the whole idea of what people would see me as. I want the image of a great fighter and person over sex appeal.

Beats,Boxing & Mayhem: I know you’re big Muhammad Ali fan. Who are you Top 5 favorite boxers?

West:Ali, Bernard Hopkins, Edwin Valero, Brandon Rios and of course Manny Pacquiao…. And Floyd, too! Throw him in there.

Beats,Boxing & Mayhem: I take it you were very upset with how Valero went out…

West: Ah, man I was so mad! I had just jumped on the bandwagon. He had become my favorite fighter after hearing his story about the blood clots and still fighting. He had a good story and fought with heart. He was two inches away from being a household name. Everything was lined up. I was upset because in this era people who don’t really know boxing don’t know him. He was destined for greatness.

Beats, Boxing & Mayhem: I saw your prediction of Pacquiao beating Mayweather, but that was before Manny fought Mosley. Did that fight change your opinion any?

West: [Pauses] Nope, not at all. I just feel that Manny Pacquiao is kryptonite for Floyd. I know he will give him hell. Floyd’s not an idiot. He knows. That’s why
he’s trying to get as much money as he can get out of it because it might take his flawless record away. I have a lot of respect for Floyd; I know he’s a great technical fighter. But I also know what can beat him, and that’s a strong, good southpaw in my opinion.

Beats, Boxing & Mayhem: You still have faith we’ll see it?

West: I do since Golden Boy and Top Rank are no longer beefing. But time will tell. Anything can happen. Floyd may want too much or Manny may get sick of out. Manny has done enough. After that fight with Floyd he should retire.

Beats, Boxing & Mayhem: Since we’re getting Pacquiao-Marquez III next, do you think Juan Manuel has any chance against Manny above 140 pounds?

West: [Laughs] Naaaah. Marquez is a great fighter. But if you watch the two times they fought, it was Manny dropping Marquez. Manny was a little, scrawny dude back then. Now he’s all lumped up and big. If he drops now I don’t know about Marquez getting up. He’s a totally different fighter now. He’s a lot more accurate and less wild. Marquez, he seemed that same when he fought Floyd. Level-wise I think Manny’s above him.

Beats, Boxing & Mayhem: The card that you’ll be fighting on is mixed with boxing and MMA fights. Do you think these audiences are close enough to where this can start being a regular occurrence on a national level?

West: I think it’s kind of a conflict. I’ve been to two of them in the past. It’s funny because you have some people waiting for boxing, and others for the MMA. I see it more so as increasing the peace because there is a lot of beef between the two. If they continue to unite these people, it’ll become more of a acceptance thing. We both fight in the ring, have rounds and train the same. MMA fighters have boxing coaches to help their stand-up. We gotta respect each other.

Beats, Boxing & Mayhem: Ava’s only had a few fights since your last encounter with her. Had you seen any significant improvement with her on tape?

West: I saw when she fought Gloria, but that fight was so short I couldn’t get anything out of it. Ava’s a deadly fighter. She’s strong girl, has a lot of experience and was tremendous in the amateurs. Any fighter who has that type of background, regardless if they’re active or inactive, they’re going to be deadly. B-Hop was still deadly even after not fighting for a year and a half.

I will tell you this. When I fought her the first time I had no footage. I didn’t know anything about her besides she was a world champion. I knew nothing about her style. Now that I’ve fought her it’s priceless experience. A rematch is better than any footage.

Beats, Boxing & Mayhem: Last question, Kaliesha. Have you mapped out your career to the end, or are you just taking it fight by fight?

West: My goal was to retire when I was 30, but if it is a little sooner I might do that. I’m going year by year. My health is of course #1. Far as I’m concerned, I still feel great and have plenty of years left in the engine. I don’t plan on retiring anytime soon.

I appreciate all the love and support. I read everything people say on Facebook and Twitter. I appreciate people who believe in me and that the sport will eventually change. It’s a warm feeling.

Tickets for Kaliesha West vs. Ava Knight can be purchased via www.ifspro.com, and at the door tomorrow night at the Pico Rivera Sports Arena. Kaliesha West can be followed on Twitter and Facebook.

Remembering the Greats: Foreman Talks Ali Rematch & Chasing Mike Tyson

Posted: May 11, 2011 in Fight News, Remembering the Greats
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Yesterday, I had the privlege of briefly speaking with former heavyweight champion George Foreman. Being one of few fighters to compete in three separate decades, there’s a bunch of questions I could have asked. For me, my interest rested on two fights that didn’t happen in Foreman’s career: a money rematch with Ali and a megafight with Mike Tyson in the late 80s and early 90s.

Let’s give a little background on the Ali rematch. After suffering one of the biggest upsets in boxing history to Ali in 1974, Foreman was mentally crushed. He had been an undefeated, wrecking ball champion that ran through Ali’s two toughest opponents, Joe Frazier and Ken Norton. Yet against Ali, Foreman was outfought and outsmarted.

His first “comeback” was a PR disaster. Foreman decided to prove his toughness and fight five men in one night, with champion Ali at ringside to hype a return bout. A rusty and gassed Foreman looked horrible, and Ali took the opportunity to continually clown from ringside. An embarrassed Foreman would take off the rest of the year before returning officially in 1976.

Foreman effectively fell from the rankings due to inactivity and had to rebuild his name. He started off by adverting disaster in coming off the deck twice in his first bout back against Ron Lyle to score a dramatic KO in Ring Magazine’s 1976 Fight of the Year. In his next effort, he needed just five rounds to close the book of Joe Frazier’s career as an elite fighter. Foreman finished the year with two more KOs over Scott LeDoux and John Dino Denis.

On the other hand, Ali started to slip physically and in mental focus after the brutal Thrilla in Manila. In May 1976, The Greatest came in at a career high 230 pounds against Jimmy Young and looked lethargic against the younger slickster. He escaped with a highly controversial unanimous decision. Later in the year, he won a razor-thin and also highly controversial decision over Ken Norton.

By the beginning of 1977, Foreman had achieved a #1 ranking for Ali’s title. Ali stalled on making the match, prompting Foreman to face Jimmy Young. The winner would be considered a high candidate for an Ali rematch. After knocking down Young early, Foreman gassed and Young scored his own knockdown in the 12th to take a unanimous decision. Foreman would then retire for 10 years, leaving many like myself to wonder if Foreman could have dethroned a faded, 1977 Ali like slugger Earnie Shavers almost did, and novice Leon Spinks achieved one year later. When I posed this question to Big George, below was his response.

Well I know with the Muhammad Ali fight that fighting him right after I had lost to him would probably end up with a similar result. I hadn’t matured yet. It takes time to mature into the kind of fighter that can beat a Muhammad Ali.

The second intriguing question I had for Foreman was his desire to face Mike Tyson in the early 90s. Aside from it being a big money fight, Foreman thought style-wise Tyson would be the perfect foil for him. Even at his advanced age, Foreman retained his massive power. Even prime Holyfield utilized a stick and move approach against Foreman and was wary of exchanging with him. The legend for the fight not coming off is Mike Tyson was allegedly afraid of Foreman due to what was instilled in him via tape sessions years earlier with mentor Cus D’Amato. Tyson was reportedly told that none of the swarming, pressure fighters (Dempsey, Frazier, Marciano etc.) could stand a chance against Foreman, who was simpy too strong physically and with punching power to be bullied and overwhelmed. In a recollection credited to Hall of Fame matchmaker Bobby Goodman, Tyson allegedly screamed on Don King for continually hounding him about agreeing to the fight.

“I’m not fighting that fuckin’ animal,” Tyson is said to have snarled. “If you love that motherfucker so much, you fight him!”

Foreman himself is coy in his own recollections about why the fight never came off. He’s not a harsh critic of modern fighters; Foreman is one of the few retired greats that believes some of the better heavyweights of the last 20 years could have competed in the 70s. In particular, he cited Evander Holyfield as a standout case. However, he surprisingly thought Tyson would run from him like many of his other younger opponents despite Tyson, even in his worst defeats, never using that tactic.

There’s some tough guys. That Evander Holyfield, he could have existed and fought in any era. He was some fantastic boxer. When you look at him and some of the fights he’s had, that spells out that modern-day boxers are just as powerful and skillful and tough as any era. I’m just glad the other fights didn’t happen. It would just be about if could I continually chase them or not.

To add a final caveat to Foreman-Tyson, Big George made another statement to Sports Illustrated back in January 1990, just one month before Tyson lost to Buster Douglas.

He [Don King] gave me a contract and told me to sign on the dotted line. I was more afriad of Don King and the dotted line than I am of Tyson.

Remembering the Greats: Larry Holmes Bullies Ossie Ocasio [March 23, 1979]

Posted: April 7, 2011 in Remembering the Greats
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“This shows how clearly you’ve become a quality fighter of championship ability. They’re going to have to recognize you now…”

During his seven-year reign, many people dubbed Larry Holmes a “poor man’s Ali.” That may be true when it comes to trash-talk, but in every other facet, the Easton Assassin was a more than worthy successor to The Greatest. A good example of Holmes’ skill was his thorough dissection of young contender Ossie Oscasio.

Ocasio had earned his WBC title shot after taking two upset wins over slickster and spoiler Jimmy Young, who had previously lost close, controversial decisions to both Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton. With Ali in retirement, Holmes had become the man of the division after a thrilling 15 round war with Norton. Still, Holmes was struggling to establish an identity with the Ali legend still fresh in everyone’s mind.

Unfortunately for Ocasio, Holmes decided to make a statement against him. With only 13 fights on his ledger, Ocasio was woefully outclassed. Holmes had all his skills on display, mixing up his excellent jab with precision body punching. Whether outside or inside, Ocasio found himself on the receiving end of a barrage of shots. Adding further insult to injury, Holmes mocked Ocasio’s offense with over the top yells like his mentor Ali used on opponents. And in the clearest example of the power of the Holmes’ jab, Ocasio was dropped and hurt by the blow in the seventh.Three more knockdowns followed off a straight right counter, a short right hook and a left uppercut before the stoppage.

Larry Holmes would make 16 more defenses before losing the title six years later in 1985 to Michael Spinks. Ocasio would fight on until 1992, going 10-12-1 with his only significant win being a 1987 majority decision over Dwight Muhmmad Qawi.

Remembering the Greats: Marciano’s Letter on Ali’s Vietnam Decision

Posted: March 23, 2011 in Remembering the Greats
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Back in the late 60s, Muhammad Ali alienated himself from most of America and his boxing peers when he refused induction into the United States military to serve in Vietnam. Floyd Patterson promised to redeem the title by defeating him (and received a humiliating beating for his efforts), while retired greats like Joe Louis, Gene Tunney and Rocky Marciano spoke out against The Greatest in the press. As flippant as the below letter sounds, Ali and the Rock became close friends after their filming of the mock superfight between them in early 1969. Marciano would die in a plane crash in August of that year. Later, Ali would say he became closer to Rocky than any other white fighter despite their generational and ideological differences.

Ironically, one of the only name fighters to defend Ali’s decision and religion in the press was future rival Joe Frazier. Of course, a lot of that had to do with Smokin’ Joe wanting to face Ali in the ring, but it’s still an important distinction in history. Note how in this letter, neither Marciano nor Louis can deny or counter Ali’s argument of being a second class citizen in his own country. And sadly for Joe Louis, his service to his country (militarily and in doing free exhibitions for troops during World War II) did not prevent the IRS from ruthlessly hounding him in his later years for unpaid taxes.

I think I’m going to start including a drawn picture of my face with all my future letters. Brilliant, Rocky!

Many thanks to DonBoxer of eastsideboxing.com for unearthing this gem.

Ali-Frazier I: A Superhero Becomes Human

Posted: March 8, 2011 in Fight News
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Editor’s Note: Check out my exclusive, in-depth article on the Fight of the Century over at PlanetIll.com, Ali-Frazier I: The Greatest Fight of All Time

The Fight of the Century was the fight that made Muhammad Ali a human being in my eyes. I wasn’t born when the epic event happened. Over a decade later, my knowledge of Ali’s exploits came through my father. I sat enthralled as he told me of the 60′s Ali’s famed speed and movement; how he almost never got hit with clean shots. That viewpoint was reinforced when he showed me a tape of Ali-Liston I, where the then Cassius Clay kept Liston struggling on offense even when temporarily blinded.

Because I was so young, I thought Ali was unbeatable. I had seen clips of the Foreman KO, but not any of his other 70s battles with the likes of Frazier and Norton. That was until a local network showed the Fight of the Century in its entirety.

Frankly, that fight shocked my 6-7 year old brain. I swore early on Ali was just playing around and would finish Frazier. Instead, I watched with horror as Frazier nearly finished Ali in the 11th.

“Why does he keep holding?! Get off the ropes!” I screamed at the TV as if the fight were live.

At the end I was flabbergasted. Ali lost. And he had lost BIG. How could he be the Greatest getting beat like that? My Dad laughed when I asked him that, telling me that all fighters lose.

“But the great ones come back from it,” he added.

And that’s when my view of boxers matured from superheroes to very human individuals overcoming their flaws and obstacles. I then learned about the Norton fights, the close calls early and late in Ali’s career, and the sad ending against Holmes and Berbick. Rather than diminishing my view of Ali, it enhanced my understanding of the man through his strengths and weaknesses. With Ali and to a smaller extent Mike Tyson as my boxing introduction, I began to study other fighters in different weight classes.

A few decades later and here I am today as a boxing writer. The Fight of the Century is no less great now than it was on the night of March 8, 1971. Without even realizing this anniversary was coming, I spent the last week using the bout as a tool in my workout regimen. Whenever I got tired and wanted to quit, I’d look up, see Ali and Frazier going at it, and get another wind (“If they wouldn’t quit through all that pain, I won’t either.”).

The Fight of the Century has long since become the stuff of legend and myth. But let us never forget the very human core of that drama represented in Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. 

Did Devon Alexander Quit? Bradley Wins Technical Decision

Posted: January 30, 2011 in Fight Reports
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HBO’s promise of an epic battle between young champions Timothy Bradley and Devon Alexander proved to be unfounded, as their highly anticipated matchup ended with an unsatisfying, headbutt-prompted technical decision.

The fights pattern was established early; Bradley slowly stalking and Alexander backpedaling while throwing quick 1-2′s. However, this wasn’t an Ali-Frazier scenario. Both fighters were wary of being caught clean, and the fight was a slow, calculated chess match rather than Timothy Bradley’s promise of a Hagler-Hearns, or Emanuel Stewards pre-fight prediction of a Hearns-Leonard.

Still, these early rounds favored Bradley, who threw constant hard hooks to the body. Alexander looked content to throw flashy arm punches, and held any time Bradley got close. Bradley also made himself a very small and elusive target by crouching whenever he waded forward.

The third round featured the first accidental clash of heads, which opened a sizable cut above Devon Alexander’s right eye.

Alexander’s best round came in the fifth. After losing the early exchanges, he bounced back to outwork Bradley in the final two minutes. Alexander didn’t land any hard blows, but he kept Bradley guessing with his movement, jab and straight left.

Bradley got back on track in the sixth and remained in control for the remainder of the fight. Bradley kept his hands moving with flurries befor the inevitable clinches. In rounds 7-9, all the hard shots came from Bradley, who never stopped pressing. The eighth round was notable for several stops due to accidental headbutts, and would turn out to be harbinger of what was to come.

In the tenth round, the fighters heads collided together awkwardly. Alexander cried out in pain and immediately turned away. The clash hit above Alexander’s left eye, but he claimed it was his right eye that burned. The ringside doctor, Dr. Peter Samet , asked him several times to open his eyes.

“That shit hurts, ah!” Alexander responded. Alexander said he couldn’t open his eyes consistently, causing a stoppage and boos from the crowd.Bradley, who suffered a cut to the side of his right eye, looked disappointed and unconvinced of Alexander’s injury.

Going to the scorecards gave Bradley a unanimous decision victory by scores of 97-93, 96-95, and 98-93 to unify the WBC and WBO titles.

Bradley made known afterward that his two main fights plans included Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana, which he hoped would eventually lead to a showdown with Manny Pacquiao.

“Khan right now would probably be #1 on my list,” Bradley confirmed. “But I want the fight fans to pick who I fight next and I’ll fight him…That’s the gate key right there to Manny Pacquiao.”

Timothy Bradley improves to 27-0, with 11 KOs. Devon Alexander suffers his first defeat and falls to 21-1, with 13 KOs.

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A lot of fans were disappointed last night. Not just due to the ending, but the slow pace throughout. From all the interviews and hype, some had expected a ferocious battle between these two young fighters.

I knew better. This was a hardcore fan’s fight, and I predicted there would be nerves early. However, I was wrong in thinking the fight would heat up down the stretch with big exchanges. A decent bout, but not one to bring in the casual fans as anticipated.

The big question from last night is whether Devon Alexander “quit.” First, let’s hear from the man himself about the injury.

“I couldn’t see after the headbutt.  He’s got a big head, he came at me full force,” he explained. “My eye were burning, I couldn’t see. You can’t work on a headbutt [in the gym], only skills.  He didn’t stop me from using my skills.  No excuses. There’s a rematch clause in the contract, and I want a rematch with Timothy Bradley.”

Some aren’t buying it. The most vocal in the immediate aftermath were promoters Lou DiBella and Oscar De La Hoya, and welterweight titlist Andre Berto.

“He could have continued,” DiBella fumed. “Dreadful and the runner quit. Dreadful.”

“I’m so disappointed. These fighters have to strap their jock and fucking fight!” De La Hoya added via Twitter.

In retort to Alexander’s claim of not being able to train for a headbutt, Berto questioned Devon’s heart.

“You can’t train that thing that beats in ya chest; either you have it or you dont,” Berto said. “So damn true. [That's] what made Arturo Gatti a star.”

Ringside physician Dr. Peter Samet gave his account of Alexander’s possible injury.

“I told Devon that he had to open his right eye or the fight would be over. I asked him to open his eye three times, but he couldn’t do it,” he detailed. “I feared temporary nerve damage or temporary paralysis was preventing him from opening his eye, so I recommended to the referee that the contest be stopped.”

I always give fighters the benefit of the doubt with injuries. The bottom line is I’m not the one taking the punches in there, and everyone has a limit to their pain thresholds. I don’t expect everyone to be Arturo Gatti. That’s what made fighters like Gatti special.

But it does appear Devon Alexander panicked and looked for a way out. This is where trainer Kevin Cunningham should have tried to come in. When Muhammad Ali, then Cassius Clay, was blinded by a foreign substance against Sonny Liston in 1964, his immediate reaction was to have his gloves cut off and quit. But Angelo Dundee calmed him, and said the championship was at stake. He literally pushed his man out to ring center and told him to stay away until his eyes cleared. Check out the below video starting at the 7:52 mark. Note that Clay attempted to call the fight at 8:27 before being grabbed by Dundee.

What hurts Devon Alexander’s reputation is that he didn’t ask for a few minutes to recover. He just wanted out of there immediately despite the high stakes, and claims before the fight that he’d have to be killed in order to lose.

Do I think Alexander should be crucified and dismissed forever as a quitter? Not at all. He’s still a 23 year old young man learning his craft. He had a bad, indecisive moment (which many of us had at that age), that hopefully he learns from as his career progress.

Time will tell if he’s up for the task.

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