2005 Boxing in Review

Round of the Year: Before we were treated to the 10th round of Corrales-Castillo I, I was convinced I’d seen something that wouldn’t be topped this year. On April 28, jr. welterweights Jeffrey Resto and Michael Warrick had a rematch at New York’s Manhattan Center. The first nine rounds made for a great sequel, but the 10th and final round was unbelievable, with both fighters nearly stopping each other several times. Ultimately, Resto had Warrick out on his feet (much the way Corrales stopped Castillo), forcing the ref to jump in quickly. The first time they fought, Resto lost a close decision, but was majestic in defeat. This victory answered any questions regarding his heart since quitting against Carlos Maussa in 2003. Unfortunately, few got to see the Resto-Warrick fights. And fans tend to disregard Resto, who is probably the best NY-based jr. welterweight outside of Vivian Harris. Resto hasn’t fought since then—another gifted fighter dying on the vine.

* Another prime candidate for Round of the Year was the 12th round of Ebo Elder vs. Courtney Burton, but, alas, that one—which had me speaking in tongues—took place on 12/17/04.

Fight of the Year: Even my pacifist wife knows the answer to this. Runner-up: Jason Litzau vs. John Nolasco on Friday Night Fights. Litzau, now signed with Main Events, wants to take the baton from Arturo Gatti; with his imperfect defense and heavy bombs, he’s off to a good start. If you chose Arce-Hussein I, Morales-Pacquiao I, or even Cotto-Torres, I won’t quibble with you.

Fighter of the Year: There was no “Fighter of the Year,� in my opinion. The best ones don’t fight enough (except Jeff Lacy), and both Castillo and Corralles took losses. If forced to choose, I’d go with Ricky Hatton. While it wasn’t pretty, his beatdown of Kostya Tszyu was a monumental achievement. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself. Then, in November, battling back from horrible cuts to both eyes and folding the granite-chinned Carlos Maussa with a Frazieresque left hook, proves he’s The Man at 140. If Mayweather differs with this assertion, I’m sure something can be arranged next year. Winky Wright’s shutout of Trinidad was another unthinkable happening…and yet a minute into the first, it was clear Trinidad was in for the longest night of his life.

Highlights: The growth of club fights in the NY metropolitan area. Any time James Toney fights, even at 50% of his potential. I will grudgingly include Floyd Mayweather, in spite of the Telemundo-caliber opposition he elects to fight. Showtime Championship Boxing and their “Great Fights, No Rights� philosophy. Kudos for ShoBox stepping it up.

Lowlights: HBO Boxing. Where to begin? Do these execs live in a bubble like George W. Bush? Do they not hear our cries of shame? After an abysmal 2005, HBO World Championship Boxing will ring in ‘06 with Gatti vs. Damgaard (Jan. 28). This on the heels of Mayweather vs. Sharmba Mitchell. Instead of “The Heart and Soul of Boxing,â€? how’s this for a new motto: “IF IT’S NOT ON PPV, IT’S COMPLETE CRAP!â€? A fight HBO did graciously put on in ‘05 that didn’t live up to expectations was Ouma-Jantuah. Most of us thought it was “Fight of the Yearâ€? stuff, as we undervalued Ouma and overvalued Jantuah. Same goes with Margarito-Cintron—another hindsight is 20/20 situation. V. Klitscko-Rahman would’ve been nice. Had Vitali won decisively, I’d have accepted him as the heavyweight champ, a title The Ring and HBO handed him prematurely.

Final Thoughts on the Year:

• There’s no pleasure in watching your favorite athletes age. When I want to see the best of Roy Jones, Bernard Hopkins, Kostya Tszyu or Felix Trinidad, I’ll consult my video library. Seeing these guys fight today just reminds me of my mortality—if I wanted that I’d rent “Cocoon.�

• Perhaps more than anything else, promotional rights have the power to destroy boxing. The shameful state of the heavyweights is only partly due to our better athletes choosing football and basketball over fisticuffs. It’s Don King’s insidious tentacles tying up the division. At the lower weight classes, it’s the ego-driven pissing contest waged between Oscar De La Hoya (GBP) and Bob Arum (Top Rank) at the fans’ and fighters’ expense.

• Another self-destructive trend that bloomed this year (which fans and media ought to rail against) is the growth of crappy PPV—or even the good ones for that matter. Remember when boxing was shown on Network TV? Many of us “Gen Xers� wouldn’t have discovered the sport if not for catching Holmes, Leonard, Hagler, et al., on free boob tube. We have lost perspective. (It’s reminds me of the commercials shown before the previews when you go to the movies. When it first happened you were furious; then you grew numb to it; which became passive acceptance.) Rather than celebrate HBO’s PPV maven Mark Taffet, why not pressure the industry to bring in corporate sponsorship and get boxing back on regular old TV? But if you like spending upwards of $1000/year to catch boxing, while the Super Bowl and World Series are free, sit on your hands.

• After a spate of life-altering injuries and ring deaths in Las Vegas, culminating with Levander Johnson, The Nevada State Athletic Commission scapegoated two of their finest ringside physicians, Dr. Margaret Goodman and Dr. Flip Homansky. Apparently, both were dissatisfied with the commission’s current medical protocol. They will be sorely missed, especially by the fighters whose lives depend on their experience and good judgment.

Zachary Levin writes for The Sweet Science. To read more of his work