Friday, December 16, 2005
Our Man in Berlin
Ron Borges of The Boston Globe (and our former Boxingranks.com colleague) has traveled the globe, presumably at The Globe's expense, to cover John Ruiz's defense of his WBA heavyweight title this Saturday in Berlin, Germany, against the seven-foot undefeated Russian Nicolay Valuev. Borges's report on The Globe web site, entitled "A Fighting Chance" , includes some instructive and frightening examples of how numerous American fighters have been ripped off in this part of the globe with such an unsavory history.
Borges quotes WBO heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster about his taking extraordinary precautions before his Sept. 28 fight in Germany with Luan Krasniqi, won by Brewster by ninth-round TKO. Brewster went so far as to avoiding any contact with anyone German before the fight that, he is quoted as saying, "We knew the Germans were leaders in chemical warfare so there was no shaking hands."
Brewster did prevail in that fight, but only after being behind on the scorecards before scoring a knockdown en route to the eventual stoppage. "They gave him a 17-count," Brewster is again quoted as saying.
Although less suspicious treatment is expected for Ruiz since Brewster's fight was promoted by the more odious Peter Kohl and this one is promoted by Wilfried Sauerland, Brewster still warned Ruiz, "And understand you can't win a decision there."
This is a must-read article, whether you do so over your morning cereal or over your afternoon hangover remedy. In either case it should make you think about how insanely this boxing business is run.
Borges quotes WBO heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster about his taking extraordinary precautions before his Sept. 28 fight in Germany with Luan Krasniqi, won by Brewster by ninth-round TKO. Brewster went so far as to avoiding any contact with anyone German before the fight that, he is quoted as saying, "We knew the Germans were leaders in chemical warfare so there was no shaking hands."
Brewster did prevail in that fight, but only after being behind on the scorecards before scoring a knockdown en route to the eventual stoppage. "They gave him a 17-count," Brewster is again quoted as saying.
Although less suspicious treatment is expected for Ruiz since Brewster's fight was promoted by the more odious Peter Kohl and this one is promoted by Wilfried Sauerland, Brewster still warned Ruiz, "And understand you can't win a decision there."
This is a must-read article, whether you do so over your morning cereal or over your afternoon hangover remedy. In either case it should make you think about how insanely this boxing business is run.
Comments:
Good piece by Borges. Some fighters I've managed have gone to Germany and it's always an iffy proposition.
Borges's article once again brought to my attention how marketable Lamon Brewster is. He's articulate and insightful. I'm not sure why King isn't pushing him to the hilt. Although the jury may still be out on whether or not he's a good fighter, most of his fights have been exciting. I'd rather watch him than almost any of the other current heavyweights.
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Borges's article once again brought to my attention how marketable Lamon Brewster is. He's articulate and insightful. I'm not sure why King isn't pushing him to the hilt. Although the jury may still be out on whether or not he's a good fighter, most of his fights have been exciting. I'd rather watch him than almost any of the other current heavyweights.
# posted by 
: 11:52 AM
: 11:52 AM1 Comments:
Good piece by Borges. Some fighters I've managed have gone to Germany and it's always an iffy proposition.
Borges's article once again brought to my attention how marketable Lamon Brewster is. He's articulate and insightful. I'm not sure why King isn't pushing him to the hilt. Although the jury may still be out on whether or not he's a good fighter, most of his fights have been exciting. I'd rather watch him than almost any of the other current heavyweights.
By , at
11:52 AM
