DID ARIZA?S ANTICS TARNISH MAIDANA?S GLORIOUS WIN?
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 21 Dec 2013
Soon after Argentina?s Marcos Maidana upset the flamboyant and irreverent Adrien Broner at the Alamo Dome this past weekend, clips from the fight lifted from television footage showed Maidana?s strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza seemingly placed something in a piece of gauze and slipped it to Maidana's mouth between rounds 11 and 12.
Many folks are saying that perhaps Ariza gave Maidana something illegal to perk him up. They are saying everything from PEDs to smelling salts, things that are illegal during a fight.
It was also reported that the Texas Boxing Commission is investigating the allegations of cheating. I truly hope the commission will bring in video experts as consultants during the investigations because I believe none of the commissioners will have expertise to make a decision. That is the only fair thing to do.
Speaking of the Commission, I believe whoever was that supervisor standing next to Ariza must explain why he was not 100 per cent focused on his job. After all, how much does it really take to focus on the job during the one minute break between rounds?
The video showed the guy looking somewhere else and was not 100 percent focused on what the corner people are doing, that is why Ariza was able to do what he allegedly did.
All these problems could have been easily avoided if the head trainer, in this case Robert Garcia, had more control of the whole situation. Garcia, much like Freddie Roach forgot something very important - the job description of each of their corner men.
Garcia, just like Roach when Ariza was working for the Wildcard Gym, allowed things that seem casual to get out of hand.
By definition, Ariza is a ?strength and conditioning coach?. That means the gist of his work is in the gym prior to the fight. He does not have a business being in the corner unless he is also designated as a ?Cutman?.
On the other hand, if Ariza also has that as an additional part of his job description, then the RGBA official cutman was not needed. Why let Maidana pay two team members who do the same job?
That is exactly what happened with Freddie Roach. He allowed Ariza to act as cutman when Miguel Diaz was there being paid as Manny Pacquiao?s cutman. It took Roach several fights before he realized his mistake and with that he ?fired? Ariza who then hooked up with Robert Garcia.
Garcia in the past has mentioned that he will not allow Ariza to do what he did with Roach. But eventually, he conveniently forgot that Ariza again got to do things beyond his job description.
Ariza is an excellent strength and conditioning coach. In fact he maybe one of the best in the business. But he must know the limits of his job description.
In addition, the main trainer must also have better control of what is happening in the corner. He must not allow his team members to perform work beyond their job description.
I wonder, how would Ariza feel if all of a sudden the team?s cutman starts giving the fighter dietary supplements and telling him how to do his exercises?
Alex Ariza is a strength and conditioning coach. His job stops at the sound of the first bell. He does not have a business working the corner let alone do the job others are designated to do.
Because of the fact that he conveniently forgot the limits of his job description, what he did or did not do between rounds 11 and 12 might have tarnish the victory of Maidana.
The mere fact that people started questioning what happened during that one minute break is enough to put a dent in Maidana?s massive victory. It allowed a cloud of doubt to hang over the win.
The investigations may clear Ariza from any wrong doing. But the damage has been done.
Even Maidana himself now had to chime in on the issue.
Instead of being asked about the victory, people are now asking him what truly happened between rounds 11 and 12.
That is totally unfair to Maidana who gave it all to secure that win. He deserved better than that!
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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