NO HOLDS BARRED

While most of the ringside media (including me) scored Saturday’s Hasim Rahman-James Toney fight at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ, for Rahman by close margins such as 115-113, there were some journalists who, like two of the judges, had it a draw, and some who even had Toney winning 115-113. It was that kind of a fight, back-and-forth with few rounds where one man easily dominated the other. And those who ended up with the same tally often differed on individual rounds, including the two judges who had it 114-114.

The majority draw decision, though maddeningly frustrating to many, may have been the fairest verdict. Most of the boxing journalists who had it for Rahman sounded less than passionate and firm when revealing their views to each other. That usually signifies that one guy did not beat up the other.

Veteran boxing writer George Kimball has a wonderful summary of this card on TheSweetScience.com. Note also that just about everyone in the building concurred with his view that Dmitriy Salita was given a gift in his fight, also scored a draw, with little-known Mexican Ramon Montano.

There will be a discussion of this fight card this afternoon, Sun., March 19, on WHCR-FM radio, broadcasting on 90.3 from Harlem, NY.

Stephanie Stepp, who also covered the fight from ringside, hosts a sports show called “What’s Going On” with Zach Husser, John Isaacs, and Brian T. Mingo. The show is on 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM EST.

You can also listen online to WHCR at http://whcr.org/liveaudio.htm.

And we will have more on this in the coming week.