SHOCKER: ESPN REPORTS “MAGO” WILL NOT FIGHT AGAIN!
Las Vegas, NV- Earlier in the week ESPN.com writer Michael Woods penned a story with the headline “Magomed’s Career Over.” To refresh the memory of those in the dark of this boxing tragedy, Magomed Abdusolamov (18-1, 18 KOs) suffered obvious career and life threatening injuries in a 10 round decision loss to fellow heavyweight prospect Mike Perez (20-0, 12 KOs) of Cuba on November 2nd of this year.
Magomed Abdusalamov
In the story, quotes appeared from Neurosurgeon Dr. Rupendra Swarup stated that, “He’s going to get better, I’m confident, but he will not be the same. He is going to have neurological deficits.” The story in my mind is really a non-story! “Mago” as we will refer to him here, was placed in medically induced comas several weeks ago as a result of the fight, had part of his skull removed to relieve swelling of his brain, and while in the coma also wound up reportedly suffering two strokes. Anyone who knows anything about the history of this sport knows that several other fighters have suffered similar types of injuries and those that survived have yet to come anywhere near living a normal life afterward.
GERALD MC CLELLAN STILL NEEDING 24 HOUR CARE
Much like Gerald Mc Clellan, a former super middleweight (168 lbs.) champion in the 90′s who suffered a career ending injury in a brutal fight with British star and WBC super-middleweight champion at the time Nigel Benn, Mago will most require 24 hour care for life! While it is nice to know that Mago’s condition is improving (he has been removed from the coma and reportedly is breathing on his own), the fact is that the story’s headline (which normally is the focus of the story) lacks from a journalistic point of view. Stating the obvious in my view shows a weakness in guys like Woods who pens articles for what is perceived as the leader in sports journalism, ESPN.com. As per the usual, there is very little investigative journalism that goes on there, and for the salaries that writers receive ( I am not claiming I know how much they get paid) I at least expect something of a higher quality. While I understand that most writers do not actually write their own headlines, this is just one case. The quality of boxing journalism from the worlds sports media giant is lacking.
BOXING’S BEST OF 2013?
Since boxing appears to be over for the most part, at least for major Showtime and HBO cards, I am handing out my year-end awards.
FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Floyd Mayweather (45-0, 26 KOs)
I sat on the fence here, and there were many worthy candidates including Guillermo Rigondeaux (13-0, 8 KOs) and Adonis Stevenson (23-1, 20 KOs), but Mayweather wins his fights with such ease and excellence, I decided to bestow him the honor.
Floyd Mayweather:The best fighter of 2013.
If Rigondeaux could have faced a better fighter in his follow-up fight after dismantling 2012 fighter of the year Nonito Donaire (32-2, 21 KOs) in such a decisive manner I would have given him the award, however he just suffers from having a lack of quality opponents to face at 122lbs. Floyd fought twice in a calendar year for the first time since 1997 and looked brilliant doing so, basically shutting out Canelo Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KOs) and Robert Guerrero (31-2-1, 18 KOs). I was hesitant to give him this honor because I expected him to easily dominate Alvarez, however I don’t think a fighter should be punished for being that much superior to his opponennts. When you make world class fighters look like mere amateurs, you have got to give the credit where it’s due.
FIGHT OF THE YEAR
Tim Bradley (31-0, 12 KOs) UD 12 Ruslan Provodnikov (23-2, 16 KOs)
A few intruiguing things to note here. Going into the bout Bradley was coming off a big yet controversial victory over Manny Pacquaio (55-5-2, 38 KOs) for the WBO welterweight title. Provodnikov, a former sparring parter of Pacquiao, was considered by many including myself as an ESPN level fighter, and basically a tune-up for Bradley, who injured both feet in his previous fight. Bradley started the bout aggressively trying to take the fight to Provodnikov, who for all his limitations was a big puncher. Bradley was hurt seriously in the first, second, sixth and twelfth rounds. Bradley banked many rounds in the second stages of the fight when he finally figured out that when fighting a puncher it is a better strategy to box. It was a close fight that Bradley won on activity and guts. Both mens stock rose, and actually in round nine Bradley appeared to have the Russian hurt, and even though not a big puncher, put a systematic beating on Provodnikov as the punches piled up as the rounds went on. Bradley barely made it to the finish line as he was downed with seconds left in the fight, but finished merely on heart and guts.
UPSET OF THE YEAR
Jhonny Gonzalez (55-8, 47 KOs) KO1 Abner Mares (26-1-1, 13 KOs)
Mares appeared to be on the rise, Gonzalez on the downslide. However as his record suggested he would be dangerous because of the 46 KO’s on his ledger coming in. Add to that Gonzalez’s underrated boxing ability. Mares had just won the WBC featherweight (126lb) title from Daniel Ponce De Leon (45-5, 35 KOs) in his previous bout, and Gonzalez had lost that title to De Leon the previous year. Just because A beats B and B beats C, doesn’t mean A beats C. The proof of that applied here. Late in the first round Gonzalez who had appeared to all but abandon the jab in the first round landed a sneaky left hook that floored Mares. Mares got up but never revovered. A barrage of punches ended the fight moments later. Why was this such a big upset? Mares was being heralded as one of the pound for pound best in the sport, and had just won a third title in his third weight division. Gonzalez just appeared to be another stepping stone towards greatness. Too bad no one told Gonzalez to follow the script. The decisiveness of the ending as well as the fact Mares basically got caught cold before he even had a chance to get into the fight makes this the biggest upset in 2013.
-Kevin Perry