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Boxing in Ruins: Pavlik V. Martinez

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Written by Jonathan Jacobs

     Boxing is obviously not about who is tougher and who can punch a million times and still outlast his opponent. Having said that, it is a shame what fighters have become. Too often are we shown chickens like Roy Jones, Jr. or Sergio Martinez or Floyd Mayweather. They would rather audition for Dancing with the Stars than box. Boxing may not be solely about dominating punches but it would be nice if today’s fighters (pretenders) would stand up and box. Stop ducking and diving and dancing. Give the audience something to cheer for other than a lucky punch to end your night. Tonight I watched on HBO Boxing the embodiment of modern boxing and I fully understand once and for all why boxing is labeled by many a "dying" sport.

     For boxing to compete with MMA or wrestling, or anything else like it, it must generate excitement. It also must generate marquee stars. Boxing now has that in the form of mini Tyson, Manny Pacquiao. Unfortunately Pacman looks vulnerable. No not in the ring, but on paper. Look at his possible opponents. Mayweather would never stand toe to toe with Manny. He would move around constantly and throw the occasional jab. Pacquiao fights with an exciting style. He can hit opponents from anywhere, anyplace, and at any time of his choosing. He does not run and hide and earn our contempt. He fights like a real boxer, like a real man. Do fighters like Martinez and Mayweather even deserve to fight against him? Honestly no. Instead today’s fighters would like to make faces in the ring, play mind games with pre-fight trash talking, and run away from their opponents.

     If boxing is to survive it will need the tandem of superstars and exciting action. Unfortunately there is too little of one and too many of the other. Tonight I watched Sergio Martinez win a decision over the much better Kelly Pavlik. Pavlik fought the last four rounds with blood shooting from both of his eyes on top and on the bottom. Until that happened his opponent earned the ire and disgust of booing fans who wondered why they paid money to see a fighter chase another for an hour without any action. Pavlik charged and tried to fight Sergio. Unfortunately it takes two to tango. Martinez won a boxing match by running away. He infuriated fans by pretending Pavlik’s punches did not hurt and by smiling when he was knocked down. How does being a showman and a jackass help win a boxing match? Isn’t a boxing contest about BOXING? Or is it about who can play the best mind game? If promoters such as Bob Arum and Golden Boy Promotions want to make money and keep boxing from earning a reputation as a laughable sport they need to put fighters together who will box one another. The running away act is not only getting old it is tiresome. It is winded. Stop, breathe and reevaluate. Put lame fighters together and then put exciting and tough fighters together. Would you rather have crowds boo or cheer? Seems pretty simple to me. Boxing needs to survive, but it will never do so on the strength of weasels.