By Gerardo Granados: Through the years many measures have been implemented to improve the safety of prizefighting. Back in the late 1800´s we can find the purest and most brutal practice of boxing. In the early 1980´s reduction from the 15 round title bouts to 12 rounds must have benefited boxers, but it left many of us fight fans, feeling nostalgic of those epic 15 round battles.
Although I respect and admire all men and women who became prize fighters, I demand from all of them what I saw as a kid. I grew up watching boxing since I can remember. The type of fights that I saw as a kid seems to be on the verge of extinction, but maybe that shouldn’t anger me and instead I should feel satisfied because now boxers are exposed to fewer risks. It is OK for us boxing fans to see MMA fighters to tap out, but we won’t forgive a boxer who in our eyes still is able to continue to fight but instead chooses to quit.
After have reviewed the Prichard Colon vs Terrell Williams bout, that took place last October 2015, I can only conclude that professional boxing is as dangerous as it has ever been. There were low blows and rabbit punches connected and even that not all of those punches seem to be intentional; a disqualification could have been ruled. By the time the fight ended I would not have imagined the unwanted outcome; which left me wondering if there is a way to clearly notice when to stop a bout.
Last Saturday at the Wembley Arena, London, UK; Nick Blackwell was stopped by Chris Eubank Jr in 10 rounds after the referee stopped the actions on advice of the ring doctor. Blackwell took a beating in the process but was brave and fought back; sadly he ended in the hospital. It was reported that he has brain bleed but is stable and won’t require surgery. At the end of the 8 round the elegant Chris Eubank Sr advised his son to go to the body to finish off Blackwell, I’ll quote “if he doesn’t stop it and we keep beating him like this, he is getting hurt, and if it goes to a decision why didn’t the referee stop the fight, I don’t get why”.
Some signs are evident. On times, a boxer legs are simply gone, or his face expression denotes the fighter is truly hurt, also we can see how his eyes seem absent from consciousness and his reflexes are off. But, there are boxers who have an outstanding ability to absorb punishment and also to recuperate. The granite chinned like George Chuvalo or Ruslan Provodnikov; also, boxers such as Muhammad Ali or Evander Holyfield are an example of what I mean.
I asked experienced International AIBA referee Gerardo Poggi his fair opinion on why at the professional level we don’t see many disqualifications due rabbit punches. Referee Gerardo Poggi responded: “Fouls are divided into three parts, low risk, middle risk and dangerous. The dangerous ones are rabbit punch, kidney punch, low blow and the use of the head as a third fist. The referee aware of this type of fouls must warn the boxer; if the boxer doesn’t obey then take a point or even disqualify. This applies for both the amateur Olympic or Professional level and there is no difference. In my personal opinion when a boxer is taking unnecessary punishment the main responsible to stop the bout is the boxer´s trainer, he is the one who knows the most the boxer, how was his training camp and how well conditioned he is. The second person responsible for looking for safety and life of a boxer is the referee, and that’s his major duty.” *
I asked to expert cut man Mandy Wiz Fernandez his opinion, so I could exemplify to the readers a real expert corner men opinion. Wiz has worked the corner of my idol Roberto Duran and also many others great boxers including one of the current top pound for pound super bantamweight Champion Guillermo Chacal Rigondeaux.
GG – When do you consider corner men should throw the towel to stop the punishment?
MWF – “Knowledgeable manager trainer with corner know they are responsibly aware for the safety of their athlete, by acting as second third referees through out every minute of the battle looking out for the fighter safety and fatal signs, at all times not letting their ego´s interfere with their judgement to halt a bout in the hands of defeat, not allowing their pupil to take severe punishment, that could cost extreme psychological and physical damages that could ruin a good prospect career, so by early stoppage the manager and trainer allowed themselves to do more positive and consistent damage control on their pupil, allowing him to live, learn and fight another day getting back on the winning column”.
GG – When a boxer has been knocked down but gets up hurt are there any signs we could look for to determine if he can continue?
MWF – “There´s lot of ways to know when your fighter is stunned or seriously hurt, when stunned they look directly at the corner waiting for instructions, when they really hurt out on their feet, what I usually do if they make out of the round I run in and get the fighter to the corner as quickly as possible, on arrival you do everything that you know to bring him back to his senses, within 50 seconds tops I ask at least a couple of questions, first where you at now, if he answer anything other than in a hell of a fight or the city that you are in where ever you may be aint right, stopped the fight immediately, because he is out on his feet”.
GG – Do you think the referee should be very strict about rabbit punches and immediately warn or even disqualify no matter if it is the main event?
MWF – “The biggest problem with most boxing referees and some officials is they are issued a license to participate without prior or any experience with no qualifications what so ever, there´s only a hand full of real referees and boxing physicians, like the amazing Dr. Alan Fields and Robert Boltoush, both are listed in the best ten ringside doctors in the world, Dr. Fields is the number one and almost at the point of retirement, he will be missed, I had the pleasure to assist them both in ring emergency, I remember my fighter knocking out a heavyweight in the first round with a brutal vicious right hand, right by our corner at the Mahi Temple in Miami FL, Doctor Fields runs up in the ring assisting the fallen fighter, while laying down Doc ask him, you know where you at? The fighter answer North Carolina, Doc screams for Oxygen while I´m losing up the laces in the fighters shoes to supply more blood pressure to the brain, oxygen is applied for a few more minutes, fighter is finally sitting up by now, Doc takes the oxygen away and ask fighter again, do you know where you at know, fighter said Savanah Georgia, Doctor apply oxygen again and whisper into my ear Wiz he is getting closer”.
To be a referee isn’t an easy job at all. To work the corner of a fighter isn’t as easy as we the fight fans might imagine. But perhaps, we the fight fans should be able to notice not only the fame and glory but also the sacrifice and the danger prize fighters face once inside the ring.
I must be wrong to expect from all fighters to perform like Arturo Gatti and I should stop being critical about an early stoppage. But the nature of prizefighting, its essence is as brutal and dangerous that it is the reason why I must like boxing so much.
Perhaps there should be zero tolerance to rabbit punches, elbows or use of the head as a fist, and a disqualification must be applied no matter if it is the undercard or a big main event fight.
I need to ask the readers if you have an idea on how to improve the safety of boxers. How can we keep the essence of prizefighting and at the same time improve the safety of boxing? It must be possible; after all, we have achieved impressive technological advances.
Do the readers believe we can improve the safety of prizefighting without sacrifice its essence?
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