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Wednesday 21 March 2012

21/03/12 Politics and Corruption



After a quick word with a friend of mine about Nathan Cleverly not being sanctioned to fight Robin Krasniqi, we were left discussing the politics and corruption that always seem to get in the way of the sport we love. It was an issue also addressed in this month’s Ring Magazine titled ‘We’re forgetting why we became fans’.
And it’s a great point that seem’s to always over shadow the sport, the bigger the fight the bigger the controversy. But as stated by David Greisman, Author of Ring Magazines article, we should never look past the action that takes place in the ring, because ultimately that is what sucked us in to the world of the ‘Sweet Science’.

It can be a real frustration when one of the major Boxing boards steps in the way of what could be a great fight in the making. But we have to then move on and look forward to other fights that could offer great viewing. Boxers have also wised up to this and are now dropping belts so they can take the bigger fights and eventually give the fans what they want. Nowadays it comes down to weather or not the boxers actually want to fight or not, if they do, then there will always be a way that the match can be made. The only real thing that gets in the way of big fights happening are the 2 men competing, if there are fingers pointed at the Boxing Boards then surely we need to be pointing them at the Fighters and their Camps as well. Only recently we hear that David Haye has agreed terms with Vitali Klitschko’s camp, but it would seem that communication breaks down when actually trying to make the fight happen. Who is to blame for Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacqiuao not going head to head, certainly not any of the major Boxing organisations.

I also understand that the corruption has been a part of Boxing from day one, and it show’s no sign of going away. For me it has become such an underline issue through my time of watching Boxing that I have almost grown used to it, and expect to see it now and again.
The question is, does corruption get in the way of the sport, and I would probably say no. I know that when an IBF official is interfering at a Welterweight championship match it can cause a stir, but the match continued and a rematch was ordered, much to the anger of Lamont Peterson. I also know that when Bernard Hopkins roles around on the floor like he had been shot in his Light Heavyweight match against Chad Dawson and then gets the win, it doesn’t look good for the sport, but guess what a rematch has been confirmed. The point I want to get across is that even though obstacles are sometimes thrown in the way of Boxing, the sport never fails to deliver the blood, sweat and tears we have all grown up to love. I would happily sit back and let the politics and corruption continue if it means I get to watch Ali v Frazier, Hagler v Hearns, Mayweather v De La Hoya, Tyson v Holyfield and all the other fights that have never made me forget why I love this sport.

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