By Cor Lawson: There seems to be a running theme with many promoters and boxers that may just be starting to change, that is the overprotected and padding of boxer’s records. The recent emergence of Victor Ortiz as the new WBC 147 pound champ got me thinking along those lines last week.

Here we had the 24-year-old Ortiz entering the ring with a record of 28-2 he’s defining fight ending in a stoppage loss to Marcos Maidana in which many questioned Victor’s heart. Against the hard hitting undefeated Andre Berto who although undefeated had doubters questioning the quality of he’s opposition, yet Berto still entered the ring as a strong favourite, as we all know Ortiz won a thriller and showed that as long as you learn and respond in the right way a loss on the record can be turned in to a positive. I think too much is made in to the importance of having a 0 on the resume.

A modern day great such has Marvelous Marvin Hagler is such an example of a fighter improving after defeats and becoming an immoveable force from 1980 to 1987. By the time Hagler had won the middleweight title against Alan Minter he entered the ring that night with a record of 49-2-2 but went on to dominate the middleweight division. On the other specter of the scale we can look at a fighter many believe to be the best super middle weight but what evidence is being used to claim he is the best in he’s division it can only be he’s 0 because when we look closer at he’s record we see fighters like Brian Magee and Jessie Brinkley as he’s victims. The similar can be said on these shores for Joe Calazaghe. Joe’s fans will point to he’s unblemished 46-0 and state he’s the best British fighter ever, but I would say only Kessler and Hopkins were world class opposition. But a strong case could be made for Randolph Turpin the man who beat the great sugar ray Robinson and he ended he’s career with a record of 66-8-1.

If we take a look at the pound for pounders we will now find fighters such as Manny Pacquiao 53-3-2 and Sergio Martinez 47-2-2 who have both gone on to great things after ko losses. A recent matchup between James DeGale 10-0 and George Groves 12-0 has had some experts saying they are meeting to early in there careers but what’s the problem both guys are young enough to learn from a defeat and come again so I applaud both fighters for agreeing to the fight.
So come on promoters and matchmakers let’s get competitive fights made and not be over concerned if the 0 does go.