Category: Blog Posts

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To Showcase or Not Showcase.

Over the past year, televised boxing has expanded beyond traditional viewing methods.  Digital streaming just happens to be the latest platform that the sport of boxing has conquered.  Boxing fans on the go can now whip out their phone, tablet, or laptop and load up an app to watch boxing.  Once you add up all the free, cable, and premium networks that broadcast boxing on top of the digital streaming services, boxing fans seem to be making out pretty good.  Well, looks can be deceiving if you value quality over quantity.

            With the untimely death of HBO boxing and the rise of digital streaming, the sport has split itself into several major factions.  You have PBC which is backed by Showtime and Fox.  They probably have the biggest number of star fighters in their roster.  Next is Goldenboy and Matchroom who have boxing’s biggest superstars in Canelo Alvarez and Anthony Joshua in their stables.  This provides huge potential staying power for DAZN (the new digital streaming platform that airs their fights) Last but not least, Top Rank holds a firm position with the ESPN network and its digital streaming accomplice ESPN Plus.  Their stable is top heavy with pound for pound champions Vasyl Lomachenko and Terence Crawford.  From the look of things, each major promotional entity involved has enough resources to make the fights that will elevate the sport.  If this is the case, why are we getting all these showcase bouts. 

            Now for those who are new to the sport of boxing, a showcase bout is a fight where the perceived A side is favored to win and most likely win big, thus showcasing their talent and skill level on the big stage.  Traditionally showcase bouts came in the form of tune ups designated for inactive fighters looking to work off some rust before taking a tougher challenge, but over recent years showcase bouts started becoming accepted as legit main event headliners for boxing cards.  To make matters worse, most boxers are on a one or two fight a year schedule so more than likely they’ll be using one of those dates as a showcase bout.  Now multiply that routine with the amount of A side boxing stars in each major promotional stable and fans are left with the dilemma of having to choose between competitively matched cards or star boxers shaking off some rust whenever multiple boxing cards get aired on the same night or overlap. 

            Boxing is elevated by its biggest stars participating in fights that the fans want to see.  When that starts happening less, the attention is now diverted to just seeing an actual good fight regardless of the star power or lack thereof.  Everyone likes a winner, but even that gets stale once we see that the actual winning is never in doubt.  Boxing is supposed to be the theater of the unexpected, but its hard to stage drama an unpredictability around a concept that will most likely lead to only one result.  When you factor in the bad judging and how certain superstars can’t lose a decision no matter what, the chances of an upset or something dramatic happening go down even more.               Showcase fights aren’t necessarily a bad thing given the circumstance.  A showcase bout for a boxer who is coming from a long stretch of inactivity due to an injury is easier to accept than a guy who routinely fights once a year against mid-tier opposition deciding to fight an even lesser threat for his annual fight.  That type of behavior does nothing for the sport but disrespect the less fortunate boxers that work just as hard but get less exposure.  Boxing can do without the oversaturation of showcase fights.  Stars should be fighting each other or at least the next best available contender.  You’ll have divisions loaded with talent having showcase fights instead of fighting each other.  Whole televised cards are built around this concept and now that all the major promotional companies have regulated themselves to mostly in house cards, you can expect this trend to continue to grow.

Written by Shutterworth

for RingGangRadio

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Andrzej Fonfara Retires

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt1krvhlZP_/

Congratulations to Andrzej Fonfara who officially retired from boxing yesterday. He’s had an action packed career full of highs and lows that thrilled all boxing fans. His effort, warrior spirit, and skill are greatly appreciated.

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Forgotten Fades: – Ebo Elder vs Courtney Burton

Background

                Shobox for years has been where many fighters who were up and coming prospects received their first taste of national exposure.  It boasts a sizable alumni of fighters who would go on to become world champions.  Esteemed names such as Tim Bradley, Ricky Hatton, Shawn Porter, Errol Spence, Chad Dawson, Andre Ward, etc., etc.  However we can’t forget about the prospects that fought on those Shobox cards that unfortunately were not able to reach world champion status.  Two prospects who put on what I consider the greatest fight ever aired on it:  Ebo Elder v Courtney Burton.

                Ebo Elder debuted in 2000 at light welterweight after a successful amateur career.  He rose to attention with wins over highly regarded prospects such as Emmanuel Clottey and a then undefeated Oscar Diaz.   Ebo would also become a born again Christian following out of ring issues that nearly derailed his career.  Courtney Burton debuted in 1996 after a successful amateur career as well.  In 2003, he burst upon on the world title scene with back to back knockout wins over faded former world champions Gabriel Ruelas and Angel Manfredy.  This would lead to an IBF title eliminator against Julio Diaz where he would come up short.  He then rebounded with a disputed win over Emmanuel Augustus.  The stage was set but nobody who caught this fight live, in person or TV, would expect it to play out the way did.

The Fight

                Man talk about a closet classic.  Both men just bombed away from jump.  Fast paced action from the start that never let up.  Burton was switching up his stances constantly which you can see was visibly confusing Ebo and blasting away with his left hand.  There was a point deduction in round 6 on Ebo for repeated low blows.  But Ebo kept plugging away and in the process was absorbing tremendous damage.  His face was a grotesque mask of pain, cuts, and lumps.  His eyes were so swollen it is a wonder that he was able to see anything.  Many times you could see Ebo staggering to his corner at the bell and wondering if the ref was going to stop this.  Courtney was giving it as good as he got for ¾ of the fight.  Toe to toe action galore.  Ebo’s pressure eventually got to him and wore him out leading to the increased amount of punishment that Courtney ended up taking.    In the 12th and final round, Ebo summoned one final reserve of energy and strength.  With 1:14 left in the fight, Ebo walloped with a brutal straight left hand that sent Courtney into the ropes.  Desperately trying to hold on but Courtney instead took another left hand and snapped his head all the way back and put him on the canvas. Courtney got up but was in serious trouble.  He backed up with Ebo in pursuit.  Ebo then landed one more straight left followed with a right and left that sent Courtney down and out under the ropes.  The ref waved it off immediately.  The climax of this fight captured perfectly as Ebo sunk down to his knees exalting God for the victory. He then would go over and pray with Courtney, who was sat up and put on a stool in a unique show of sportsmanship and respect.  After which Ebo mentioned to him over and over that he was a “bad dude”.  2 of the judges had Ebo ahead 106-102 and 105-103 while one judge had it even at 104-104.  So the fight was still up for grabs for both men.  A pure gut check ending to an incredible fight.    

Aftermath                

The drama and the brutality of this fight is the reason for its “Forgotten Fade” status.  I found a first-hand account of this fight from Ebo himself on his Facebook page.  Ebo said “I fought Courtney Burton, who was then ranked #4 in the world in the lightweight division in a “title eliminator”, where the champion, Juan Diaz, would have to fight the winner. In undoubtedly the most brutal fight of my career, God intervened in the last round. My jaw was broken, my kidneys were bleeding, and blood was running from cuts over both of my eyes. In spite of my complete fatigue, injuries and a powerful left that nearly took me out, the Holy Spirit came upon me with 2:05 left in the 12th round.”   For him this would be proved to be a pyrrhic victory and the last win of his career.  9 months afterwards, he would receive a WBA lightweight eliminator shot against Lakva Sim and get stopped in the 12th and final round.   His final fight would take place on season 2 of The Contender where he would get stopped in 4 by Michael Stewart.  After that he would retire to become an evangelist and a motivational speaker.  Courtney Burton would fall even harder.  Equally ruined, he would get ko’ed in 3 straight fights after to Rolando Reyes, Juan Lazcano, and, in a rematch, Emmanuel Augustus.  He would retire in 2006 but come out of retirement almost 4 year later.  He would win one fight against a journeyman before losing a decision to a then undefeated prospect Vernon Paris.  He would retire again for good after that loss.    As always highest recommendation to watch.  Don’t just take my word for it, see for yourself.

Written by Patscorpio for Ring Gang Radio