The way of the glove

Two stories to share. 

I've written about this boxing/UFC before. Click on the label in the comment/reaction section below for more.

KID KAYO

In mid December of 2012, I got a call from a friend who was going to a boxing match. We had watched a PPV fight before - Pacquiao v Clottey  (boring fight) - and talked about the sport occasionally so he knew I would be interested. I grew up on boxing. It was in my blood, though I didn't actually box. My earliest sporting memory was watching a VHS tape of Tyson v Spinks. "And he's down again, and in serious trouble!" That phrase is burned into my brain. I watched a lot of fights at my grandfathers house: Tyson v Holyfield, Mosely v De La Hoya, Holyfield v Lewis.. you get the idea. So when he invited me, I jumped at it! 

We go to this massive convention center at night. There was some kind of fitness expo at the convention center. It must have been coming to a close, as people were taking booths down. I remember entering the "arena", which was just the back corner of a massive warehouse (bc that is what convention centers really are), through a large curtain of sorts hung from the rafters. It was awkward to say the least. We watched a few lack luster fights - everyone praying for a killshot, which never happened. Finally, Chris "Kid Kayo" Fernandez was up. 

This was a historic night. I didn't know it at the time, of course, but this would be the first time that a native from Utah would successful defend his championship belt in over 20 years. You can read about the fight here. Fernandez was decent fighter in his prime. He was on ESPN's Friday Night Fights, so it wasn't as if he was a total bum. He knew what he was doing. 

I don't remember much of the fight. I do remember him coming into the ring wearing an Indian headdress. I also remember that Chris was obviously better at boxing. However, I got the feeling that everyone was frustrated that he didn't knock his opponent out. People were screaming for it. While it was a sparse crowd sitting on hard seats, they were heard. They were blood thirsty. 

I got a picture with Chris afterwards. He was soft spoken and didn't have a single mark on him to prove he fought that night. 

BONES

For my brother's 40th birthday we went to watch UFC 198, which was Jon Jones' return to the ring. If you don't know who Jon Jones is here is a briefer: 

The UFC's past is not pretty. It was full of thugs and not many rules. No weight classes, kicking people in the head when they were down, ugly stuff... Over the years was cleaned up which helped it become more marketable, attracting more fans, thus making it more profitable. Better athletes took note of this (MONEY to be made) and started to join the UFC ranks. Jon Jones was one of these better athletes to join - a former college wrestler who has two brothers that start in the NFL. Jones rose quickly through the ranks and became the youngest UFC champ ever. He was ranked, and still is for many, the #1 pound-for-pound fighter. He fell from grace - a traffic incident involving a crash and cocaine -  and was suspended for a year. 

Back to my brother's birthday. 

So here was my second time going to a fight and this time the fight was in the MGM Grand. The same venue for some of the most legendary fights in boxing. I didn't really know what to expect. I have been to professional sporting events, but not a fighting event that was on a real stage - sorry Kid Kayo.  

We got there late and we weren't able to get to our seats immediately as filming was taking place. I had bought the cheapest tickets I could find. We were literally against the back wall. When we got to our seats and I surveyed the ring I was shocked that I could see as clearly as I could. This wasn't that big of a space. The other thing that surprised me was how quiet it was. It was like being in a movie theatre.. a massive movie theatre... with people occasionally shouting. It was unlike every sporting event I had ever been to. Everyone was watching every move. There was a moment where one of my brothers and I were yelling loud enough that I am sure Bones heard us. 

There were flashes of brilliance, but overall it was a safe fight from Bones who easily won.

Different sides to the same coin

I've always had respect for fighters, from the stand point that they are willingly wanting to get punched in the face and understand the potential for bodily injury. It's crazy, really. They fight for the same goal, but yet are at such different stages in their career and life.... its as if they are on another planet. 

1. You've probably have heard or have seen Jon Jones. Until you read this you probably didn't realize there was a boxer nicknamed "Kid Kayo".
2. Can you imagine fighting in front of hundreds of people and knowing that thousands, potential millions, are watching ever move you make? Talk about pee your pants pressure. 
3. The highest mark Chris reached was getting a silly belt...

Disbelief

People always say the remember where they were when memorable sporting events occurred. They say it like they are proud of themselves that they were, "in my grandma's house when MJ made 'the shot'" or "down at Chili's, eating caso, when the Red Sox broke the curse." I will always remember when I saw Manny Pacquiao fall from grace by a perfect counter punch by Jaun Marquez.

I was sitting on the fifth floor of the new business building on campus. I had finally found a suitable streaming site for the Pacquiao vs Marquez fight. I was looking at Pacquiao clothing online. Wondering what hoodie I should get, but I hesitated. There is no certainty in boxing.

I love boxing (see blog title) and Manny for what he has done for the sport. I had eagerly looked forward to watching Pacquiao's electric style and Marquez expert defense. They had competed fiercely in their previous three fights; two going to Pac and one a draw. The fights were not without controversy (many say that Jaun won two of the three).

Marquez is largely underrated, he is not as flashy or exciting as Pac, or as marketable. He relies on his defense to generate offense. PacMan was being toted as one of the best fighters pound-for-pound ever. He was in the conversation of fighting the best pound-for-pound boxer in Floyd Mayweather. Pac was the center of attention of boxing for a long time. Rightfully so. He has won eight different championships in eight different weight class. The first and only one to do so. This fight would be the end all be all for Marquez - vindication or retirement (he is 39yrs old). For Manny, it would help cement his place with the all time greats and hopefully force Money Mayweather to fight him.



Vegas pulled out all the stops for the fight. 50 cent came down from the ceiling. Mitt Romney was there. The crowd, which was largely Mexican, was chanting Marquez's name. Larry Merchant could barely speak. The excitement was palpable. And the fight lived up to the hype.

Both fighters looked prepared and strong. Manny attacked with a frenzied offense, while Marquez bruised him with his accurate counter punching. It was a furious pace for six rounds. Coming into the sixth round, both fighters had knocked each other down and it looked like Manny was gaining the upper hand. Then, in a moment, the fight ended and chaos ensued.

There was only a few seconds left in the round. Manny and Marquez were exchanging blows, with Manny usually winning out. During the final seconds, Manny came at Marquez with a simple right hand jab. It looked feeble, almost like a set up jab, or to score another point. Marquez dodged the ill thrown punch and hit Pac square in the jaw. He fell like a tree. For several minutes he laid on the canvas.

I couldn't believe my eyes. I had seen Pac destroy De La Hoya, Cotto, Margarito, all reputable and competitive fighters. This couldn't be right. The latter end of fights belong to Manny. Usually, Pac sets  a mean pace, then he hurts his opponent, and outlasts them. However, this time Manny got caught. It was like watching James Bond get killed, but this time it said 'THE END' immediately after, credits rolling. No way this could happen. This was the 'hands are on the head' kind of disbelief.

Boxing, unlike any other sport, immortalizes fighters and then, in a moment, strips them of their demigod glory. The sport blesses fighters unfairly, as it is judged by imperfect men. The only safe way to secure a victory is to knock the other person out. Unfortunately for Manny the boxing gods turned their head the other way and let him fall.

Manny's wife shrieked in horror. Mexican fans threw plastic cups of beer in elation. Mitt looked confused. I couldn't watch it anymore. I had invested too much into Manny for him to fail. I would never see Floyd get his mouth shut now, or even know. Pac should have beat Marquez.

The sport of boxing will survive. Hell, its been around for centuries, amid gambling allegations, dishonest promoters, drugs, murder, etc. Another legend will rise through the ranks. He will have speed and power. Fans and experts will be in awe at his prowess and ability. We will wonder how he would compete against the heroes of old. Then, like a shooting star, he will burn out. It could be in a punch, a grueling fight, an injury, something violent. Violence is the boxer's unfortunate ending - which was also his beginning. It is a beautiful and cruel sport.

At least now Manny's hoodie will be on sale......





Since I can't find the actual fight, here is a great substitute. This fight features Diego Corrales vs Luis Castillo, the first of a memorable series. This fight is considered one of the greatest fights of all time, and this round is considered one of the best as well. I give you Corrales v Castillo round 10.

4 oz. of padding, mouth piece, and a cup

I sit next to a Russian born guy named David Komeroff,  in my Information Systems class. He says he fights MMA. I believe him, mostly because he looks ugly as hell. He also drinks a half a gallon of water each class and rocks a sweet mohawk. I have tried to talk with him about the sport, but it always ends in silence. He knows I'm a poser who enjoys movies like Warrior, that I only know one submission's name (rear naked choke...sounds so tuff), and couldn't bust a grape. I struggle with things to say. He is super ugly though.... mean ugly. Like angry dog ugly. He doesn't appreciate all the hype that the sport is getting now. I think he has to act like that though, makes him look like an artist. Artists always hate their own work.

I've tried to fight giving into UFC, sticking to my roots in boxing. I came from a family where boxing was part of my fathers upbringing. My grandad boxed. He taught his two boys to box. Once, my Uncle beat the skin off a man's forehead in a sparing session. I boxed a few times, like a animal, when we laced up at the house. Even my high school had a big fight night, where kids would just sling their arms at each other for a fundraiser.

Grandpa would PPV the fights. I remember watching Holyfield, De La Hoya, Mosely, Tyson, and Jones Jr. I was taught that boxing was strategy, pure, based on scoring rather than brutality. A fighters mind was better than his fists.  However, for a long time now in the US, there has been a cultural shift away from boxing. The pastime paradigm is losing its edge, and Dana White is more than ready to take over.

The main argument against UFC/MMA is that it is too brutal. You can use your elbows for heavens sake! As I have watched, as limited is my experience and expertise, it seems to me that the fighters in UFC take less of a beating than boxers. Most MMA fights usually have three, five minute rounds, and unlike boxing, you can submit your opponent. In boxing a fight usually has 12 rounds of three minutes, maybe more. Imagine getting jabbed in the face for just 15 minutes in MMA, as opposed to 36 minutes in boxing. UFC was designed for quick, punishing matches. Boxing was designed for a drawn out war, ending in a decision or TKO (Cuts). Most boxing matches don't end in KO's.

Part of the lack of media coverage boxing has been dealt is due in part to the lack of talent in the ring. Both sports rely heavily on the quality of the fight. There are so many great fighters in MMA mix right now, while boxing has a few in number, and only one that is marketable to the US. The UFC has plenty of big names and exciting prospects for the future: GSP, Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and Cain Velasquez. Youtube those names.

As a boxing fan I can only hope for Manny and Floyd to fight for the rebirth of boxing here in America. For now, I'll be forced to go to Hooters, watch the UFC, and order awful wings. Food and Service: D.