Hopkins, go to your Corner.
As lifted from another website :
So much for the self-made man. For years, Bernard Hopkins has promoted himself as being above the shadiness of boxing. He managed himself and dealt only with small-time promotional groups to run his fights. He was not going to be a pawn to federations or the Don Kings and Bob Arums of the world.By all accounts, he was one of the few straight-forward people in boxing. It was expected that after his loss to Jermain Taylor, Hopkins would accept it like a man and look forward to the rematch.Wrong. Instead Hopkins did what many boxers do when they don't like a decision: He ran to the athletic commission to beg for an appeal. He is basing his complaint off the fact that a judge, Duane Ford, gave Taylor the 12th round. Had Ford given Hopkins the 12th, the fight would have been a draw."I'd be doing a disservice if I didn't challenge something that's in dispute around the world, based on a judge thinking Jermain Taylor won a round that everybody else says I won," Hopkins told The New York Times. "Duane Ford exposed something that we're trying to find out, if there is something to be found out."In actuality, Hopkins is doing a disservice by continuing this farce. He believes he won the fight. Fine. Two of the three judges disagree. That means he lost the fight.He is also failing to live up to his responsibility. Hopkins was the one who decided he didn't need to fight until the ninth round, not the judges. Hopkins was the one who failed to take advantage of a weakened Taylor in the 10th and 11th rounds, not the judges.If he wants to place blame for his defeat Saturday night, he need only look in the mirror.Although it's surprising that Hopkins has decided to take this route after a close loss, it really shouldn't be once I consider who his promotions partner is.Oscar De La Hoya, head of Golden Boy promotions, has never been in a fight he didn't win. After close losses to Felix Trinidad and Shane Mosley, De La Hoya whined in the public and privately about how was he cheated by judges who were jealous of his stardom.He forgot that his same stardom awarded him controversial decisions against Pernell Whitaker and Felix Sturm.For Hopkins, it's a similar path. In fights against Robert Allen and Howard Eastman, he was able to sloth his way through the early rounds and enjoy the benefit of equally cautious opponents.But last Saturday, Taylor decided to accept Hopkins' gifts in the early rounds and held on to win the fight. Taylor chose to fight all 12 rounds Saturday, even the rounds he clearly lost.Hopkins wasn't cheated or robbed as some other writers claim. He was lazy.But now it's time to put the past to bed. If Hopkins is half the man he claims to be in sound bites, he'll accept his loss like a man and start preparing for a December rematch.The last thing boxing needs is a sore loser.
So much for the self-made man. For years, Bernard Hopkins has promoted himself as being above the shadiness of boxing. He managed himself and dealt only with small-time promotional groups to run his fights. He was not going to be a pawn to federations or the Don Kings and Bob Arums of the world.By all accounts, he was one of the few straight-forward people in boxing. It was expected that after his loss to Jermain Taylor, Hopkins would accept it like a man and look forward to the rematch.Wrong. Instead Hopkins did what many boxers do when they don't like a decision: He ran to the athletic commission to beg for an appeal. He is basing his complaint off the fact that a judge, Duane Ford, gave Taylor the 12th round. Had Ford given Hopkins the 12th, the fight would have been a draw."I'd be doing a disservice if I didn't challenge something that's in dispute around the world, based on a judge thinking Jermain Taylor won a round that everybody else says I won," Hopkins told The New York Times. "Duane Ford exposed something that we're trying to find out, if there is something to be found out."In actuality, Hopkins is doing a disservice by continuing this farce. He believes he won the fight. Fine. Two of the three judges disagree. That means he lost the fight.He is also failing to live up to his responsibility. Hopkins was the one who decided he didn't need to fight until the ninth round, not the judges. Hopkins was the one who failed to take advantage of a weakened Taylor in the 10th and 11th rounds, not the judges.If he wants to place blame for his defeat Saturday night, he need only look in the mirror.Although it's surprising that Hopkins has decided to take this route after a close loss, it really shouldn't be once I consider who his promotions partner is.Oscar De La Hoya, head of Golden Boy promotions, has never been in a fight he didn't win. After close losses to Felix Trinidad and Shane Mosley, De La Hoya whined in the public and privately about how was he cheated by judges who were jealous of his stardom.He forgot that his same stardom awarded him controversial decisions against Pernell Whitaker and Felix Sturm.For Hopkins, it's a similar path. In fights against Robert Allen and Howard Eastman, he was able to sloth his way through the early rounds and enjoy the benefit of equally cautious opponents.But last Saturday, Taylor decided to accept Hopkins' gifts in the early rounds and held on to win the fight. Taylor chose to fight all 12 rounds Saturday, even the rounds he clearly lost.Hopkins wasn't cheated or robbed as some other writers claim. He was lazy.But now it's time to put the past to bed. If Hopkins is half the man he claims to be in sound bites, he'll accept his loss like a man and start preparing for a December rematch.The last thing boxing needs is a sore loser.
posted by Heff at 3:13 PM
3 Comments:
After viewing the rebroadcast of this fight on 07/23/2005, my opinion has changed. Hopkins did al ot better in my opinion than what the news told me. I think the fight should have been declared a draw. Hopkins actually had Taylor hurt at one point, and Hopkins never looked hurt to me. I also thought Hopkins won round twelve. This may have already been said, but if fights still lasted 15 rounds, I think Hopkins would have CLEARLY won this fight, as he came on strong in the late rounds.
I agree unreservedly. I realize that they switched the fights to 12 rounds because of all the serious injuries/deaths in the late rounds (especially the Mancini/Kim fight), but damn....12 rounds is too short, and the late rounds really proved the mettle of the man.
This fight was an example of why the 10-pt must system sucks. Hopkins would have won this fight easily, had the "old school" scoring system been in use, and he would have kept his belt were it not for the one judge being a total dumbass (the guy that awarded Taylor the last round).
Agreed.
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