By Marc Livitz: Somewhere between no love lost and what’s not to love fell tonight’s BKB (Big Knockout Boxing) event in Las Vegas. Despite the protests from fans, media and many others in between, the “pit” as it was known did not diminish neither the skills nor the excitement of a regular night of boxing. It was not as if the night was a splinter group with its own government and currency.
The side business at BKB didn’t seem to make any effort to thumb its nose at conventional fighting. If that were the case, then the familiar faces and names whom which we recognize wouldn’t have been part of the action. Patricia Morse Jarman and Jerry Roth were among some of the ringside judges. Russell Mora was a referee as was the great Kenny Bayless, who worked the night’s exciting yet one sided affair between Gabe “King” Rosado and Brian “Warrior” Vera.
Of course, the sight of Michael Buffer telling the warehouse-loud fans in attendance his trademarked sentence was just another solidifying factor. There was nothing barbaric or knuckle walking about the contests. In fact, it is highly likely that the stamina, fitness levels and most of all stress tests were all pushed to the limit. Those who were ready to toss the event under the bus before it even took place may have found the pit to not be worlds apart from a traditional ring. Yes, there was blood. There usually is. Not all of the bouts, in fact most did not end in a stoppage.
As you read, this writer is watching tonight’s “Showtime Championship Boxing” card off the DVR and the ring looks as large as a department store after watching BKB for a few hours. Hopefully, more than a few tonight gave BKB a chance. Are there enormous fight parties in our collective futures for Big Knockout Boxing events? Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. It may not have been a breath of fresh air, but rather a view of the snow-capped mountains as opposed to a sun setting over the coast. The closed confines of the circled circle this evening tested many of the fighters and for some, fatigue visibly set in.
There were more than a few glimpses of classic boxing strategies by way of jabs and circling the bottom of the cone. Finally, in the evening’s main event, Gabe Rosado scored an impressive knockout win over Brian Vera in the sixth round. The Philly fighter entered the latter rounds with the confidence of a victorious combatant. He whirled his arms and unloaded on his game Austin, Texas foe.
Something was different. It wasn’t apples all the way to oranges, but perhaps red apples to green ones. A little bit of both is okay. Admittedly, there was something cool about hearing Kenny Bayless exclaim, “toe on the line” and “lock ’em in” before the beginning of each two minute round. Did a little change do any of you good?
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