Wake me up when this September in boxing ends
By Rich Mazon
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 29 Sep 2013
September has not been kind to boxing. Yes we have the biggest fight of the year in Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Saul Alvarez but that was not spared by what to me is the tombstone maker for The Sweet Science - incompetent judges and judging.
It all started in Scotland with the disgraceful conclusion between Ray Beltran and Ricky Burns which resulted in a Split Draw in a match that many had Beltran winning. The 115-112 card for the hometown fighter by ringside judge Carlos Ortiz preserved the title for the Scottish fighter. One had it a draw and another had it for the hard working Beltran at 115-113.
That was a sour start for the sport of boxing this month. Then came the debacle in the mega-fight that is Mayweather Jr. versus Alvarez in Las Vegas. We all knew the winner even before Jimmy Lennon Jr. took the microphone to announce the results of the fight. It was not even close as Mayweather Jr. conducted a boxing clinic over a na?ve Alvarez in the entire 12 rounds of the bout.
But lo and behold, the now infamous Cynthia J (CJ) Ross had the fight a draw. It was a card that was widely criticized by everyone in the whole of boxing and rightfully so. Ross was also one of two judges who had Timothy Bradley winning over Manny Pacquiao in May of 2012. The other judge, Duane Ford of Las Vegas retired from judging this year.
Ross and the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) was the subject of ridicule and disdain after the fight. This forced Ross to take an indefinite Leave of Absence from judging which majority in the sport welcomed. It was a minor victory for them.
And then on the last major fight of the month in Carson, California, the dreaded shadow of judging incompetence loomed again in the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. versus Bryan Vera headliner. The details regarding this bout are comedic in itself - owing to the ridiculous machinations and maneuvering during Fight Week. Chavez Jr.?s inability to decide to fight as a middleweight, super middleweight or a light heavyweight brought him ridicule and banter. And his promoters are an accessory to this seemingly lack of discipline by Chavez Jr.
But nothing is more absurd than the results of the fight. Vera, the underdog in name, class and yes - weight, fought a brave and effective battle against the son of a ring legend. He backed a bigger and stronger opponent all night. He was the busier and more effective fighter. He controlled the ring. He landed more shots, not just single pot shots that Chavez was credited for.
But his efforts in that ring was not enough to convince the three blind mice at ringside at The Stub Hub Center in Southern California that he was the rightful victor of the fight. The scores were not even that close. No it was not even fair at all.
Carla Caiz had it 96-94 and veteran judges Gwen Adair had it 98-92 and Marty Denkin had it 97-93 ? all for Chavez Jr.
Vera not only lost in the scales, not only was he a pawn for Chavez Jr.?s return in the ring after a year of absence due to failed drug tests in his last fight. What is worse is that he falls victim to dubious and incompetent judging- one that robbed him of a well-deserved victory against Chavez Jr.
Fans are disgusted, the media covering the sport is fuming, and there is just major unrest in the sport of boxing because of these incompetent and inept judges. And because the sanctioning bodies and the athletic commissions cannot do anything to reverse what they have done- everyone is helpless.
The New Jersey State Athletic and Control Board suspended three judges in the Erislandy Lara ? Paul Williams fight in 2011 due to concerns on the way they scored that fight. Two of the three judges scored the fight for Williams; the other had it a draw in what is a viewed as a win by Lara.
But no other state followed the actions New Jersey after a major fight scoring fiasco. These judges like Ford and Ross even have the audacity to defend their blunder in an arrogant manner in recent TV interviews.
Something has to be done about this, something has to start. Because these stooges at ringside, these blind mice with a score card and a pen- they are killing the trust of the fans, the efforts of the boxers that they rob of a well-earned victory and the reputation of boxing as a whole.
Bryan Vera stated at his post-fight interview that "I am sick to my stomach,? referring to the results of the fight.
We are sick of it too Bryan, we are sick of it too.
You can reach the author at rrmaze24@aol.com and on Twitter @Freemazon910.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rich Mazon .
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