Off to a GREAT start!!!
Here is a good article that sums up my point of view from Seconds Out...
Main Lead
'Super Six' Random Thoughts By Steve Kim (Photo © Howard Schatz)
Like everyone else associated with the sport of boxing, it was with great anticipation that I viewed Showtime’s ’Super Six: World Boxing Classic’ which kicked off this weekend in Europe. In Berlin, Germany, Arthur Abraham, as expected, finished with a flurry and in breathtaking fashion stopped Jermain Taylor in the final seconds of their bout. In Nottingham, England, WBC super middleweight titlist Carl Froch defeated the awkward and shifty Andre Dirrell via split-decision, that will be debated endlessly.
Based on just who was involved and the match-ups, I think the ’Super Six’ got off to about as good as start as could be expected. I have a feeling it will only get better as the stakes rise throughout this round-robin tournament.
As I watched Showtime’s telecast, a few random thoughts popped into my mind....
1- Stop calling the Froch-Dirrell fight a ’robbery’ or even a ’controversy’.
This wasn’t Pernell Whitaker-Julio Cesar Chavez or Felix Sturm-Oscar De La Hoya, OK? So stop with the indignation. This was a close and difficult fight to score. Dirrell, who’s style is effective, if not exciting, boxed well for large stretches and was very difficult to reach. However, for long spells he didn’t do much offensively. Froch, for as much as he came forward, was anything but effective with his aggression. Both boxers had sporadic moments, but neither guy ever took full control of this fight.
For the record, I had Dirrell winning by a point or two. But was anyone really stunned that the guy with the home-canvas advantage would come away with the split verdict, especially in light of the way Dirrell boxes? I think if he had it to to all over again, Dirrell would try to sit down on more of his punches like he did in the later stages of the fight. By the late rounds, he was every bit the puncher that ’the Cobra’ was and still enjoyed his advantage in speed and quickness.
2- Clinching is the only infraction in sports that isn’t penalized- and it’s killing the game.
Yeah, I know that Dirrell had a point deducted for his holding, but you could make the argument he should’ve had a few more points taken off his ledger for the excessive amount of times he held Froch. This is boxing, not the MMA, leave the grappling to them. But I don’t blame the fighters who employ this tactic. This is on the officials who flat out refuse to follow the rule book. Which clearly states that clinching is illegal. Yet, outside of the bout between Andre Berto and Luis Collazo this year, have you seen a referee really take a firm stand and penalize a boxer for committing this foul so early and often?
In basketball, you travel, you lose possession of the ball. In football, jump offsides, you lose five yards. In baseball, a pitcher balks, and the base runners advance. In boxing, you clinch and you get to clinch over and over and over again? Why? Make me the commissioner of boxing( scary thought, huh?) and one of my first points of emphasis is to eradicate this tactic. It’s one thing to hold onto dear life when you’re staggered and hurt. I get that. However, to do it incessantly because you refuse to fight on the inside, is something completely different.
Do you remember how much better Berto’s battle against Collazo was once referee Keith Hughes docked Berto for his early hugging? And just how dreadful a fight was his contest with Juan Urango because it looked like the last dance of the prom while Keith Sweat was playing?
I’m really not asking for much. Just follow this regulation the way it was intended to be. Is that too much to ask for, making fighters, actually fight?
3- They create a much better atmosphere in Europe for big fights than in America.
And it’s not even close, they have passionate partisans who love their fighters, they don’t have events in stale casino’s, and most importantly, they have promoters and networks, that actually invest money to create this lively scene. Just look at Abraham’s entrance, I know some old-school denizens hate that stuff, but the reality is that every other sport has jazzed up their entrances and the like. They understand that sports is entertainment and that the packaging of it is vital in creating something that will bring repeat customers. It’s fun, it’s exciting, and it’s the type of environment that is conducive to creating younger fans. Hey, it’s what the MMA/UFC does, and they are hitting this key demographic.
Ever been to a big fight in Vegas? Folks, for the most part, till the main event fighters get into that ring, there isn’t all that much going on. In fact, you can find more life at a mausoleum, most of the time. But overseas, you get all the bells and whistles. It’s one of the reasons why the boxing business over there is still strong. They flat out do a better job of presenting their product. It’ll be interesting to see throughout this ’Super Six’ just how well the fights in Europe are attended as opposed to the ones out here in America. And then compare the in-arena atmosphere between the two continents.
I think the Stateside promoters and networks should take note.
4- Loved Showtime’s overall coverage.
It’s always been a widely held belief that Showtime lags behind HBO when it comes to production values but you can tell that the network is making a huge investment into ’the Super Six’, which is probably their most important foray since getting into the Mike Tyson business years ago. They have really stepped up here with ’Fight Camp 360’, the fancy photo shoots and the brand spankin’ new graphics.
And it all works well together. That was a very strong telecast they had this past weekend.
5- Gus Johnson loves himself from Andre Dirrell.
OK, this is no rebuke on Johnson, he’s an excellent broadcaster and he’s been very good as Showtime’s new blow-by-blow guy, but I couldn’t help but notice just how much he seemed to be enjoying ’the Matrix’. I got a good chuckle after one round when Johnson and Al Bernstein had a disagreement over who won a particular round. After Johnson stated that he thought it was clearly a round for Dirrell, Bernstein almost had his Jim Mora ’Playoff?!? Playoff?!?!’ moment, as he responded with," Really!?!?!"
Hey, we all have our favorites for whatever reason. Jim Lampley had Oscar De La Hoya. Howard Cosell had Muhammad Ali and Max Kellerman had Pernell Whitaker. I guess Johnson has Dirrell.
6- Allan Green is on the clock.
Unfortunately for Taylor, the prognostications of him getting knocked out and not finishing up this tournament may become a prophecy. Just look at the facts, for the third time in about two years, he has been knocked out. But what’s worse is that they seem to be more and more concussive and brutal. There’s no denying his toughness and willingness to compete, but doesn’t he just have that look of a guy that once he gets hit a certain way, it shuts off for him? It’s like a football player who has suffered from multiple concussions, once they are at that point, it’s only a matter of time before another tackle gets to them.
That looks like Taylor, right now.
He was able to speak with Steve Farhood of Showtime after the fight but it was reported that he was suffering from some memory loss and had to be hospitalized for further observation. Forget the tournament, you wonder if he should be boxing anymore, period. He’s had a productive and lucrative career but it’s clear that he’s seen better days in the ring. Is it worth going on any further?
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Subject: Super Six Tournament 
Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:25 pm
