ZHONG?S VICTORY OVER CUELLO IS A GIVEN
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 30 Jun 2013
Months before China?s Xiong Zhao Zhong hand was raised in victory at the World Trade Center in Dubai this past Friday, he already won the fight.
The result of the fight was just foregone conclusion because he was fighting a one-handed injured fighter in Denver Cuello.
As to why Cuello was allowed to even be in the ring with Zhong is not my business. The fact of the matter was he was there and he ended with the short end of the stick, the 1st round knockdown on Zhong and the point deduction for an accidental head butt, not-with-standing.
Cuello apparently injured his right shoulder last October when he fought in Michoacan, Mexico against Ivan Meneses. Cuello won that fight via a 10 round UD.
Then for some reason, he fought again 7 months later in Osaka, Japan against Takashi Kunishigi without properly addressing the shoulder injury. He won via a majority decision but aggravated the injury.
Team Cuello knew the injury and took some token efforts to get it fixed. He was taken to an ?hilot?, a non-medically trained and licensed ?healer.? Of course no healing occurred.
Duh!
Then he was apparently taken to a doctor who allegedly blew the diagnosis and just gave him some ?medicines? to alleviate the problem.
Again, no healing occurred.
In one instance, while sparring, Cuello dropped to the canvas in pain after being hit on the shoulders.
With that, a Team Cuello friend and a famous Philippine scribe extended a helping hand and took him to an specialist.
Cuello was allegedly diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff and corrective surgery was recommended.
However, the advice from the doctor was apparently ignored because it ?was too late to call off the fight with Zhong.?
Why such a decision was made knowing that Cuello was injured is disappointing.
But in boxing such decisions are sometimes done for reasons known only to the fighter and manager.
Now that the fight is over and Cuello went home without the much coveted WBC title, word is Cuello may finally get the surgery he needs.
In a way that sounds encouraging. At least Cuello will get his shoulder injury managed properly.
But sadly, it may take years to get back to the top contender position again. But Cuello is young and with proper guidance he may manage to bounce back.
That in itself is a small compensation for the dream that was there but simply vanished in thin air because of some decisions that were made.
Whether such decisions are bad or good, it?s not for me to say. At least Cuello went home with some cash.
That in the end might have been the immediate goal. Sadly, it came with a stiff price and a lost opportunity to be a world champion.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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