Sharkie´s Week in Boxing:
Branco McKart vs Alex Bunema
By Frank Gonzalez
30.10 - On Friday night we got a few
fights from ESPN 2, which included some unfamiliar
names. Ablorh Sowah vs. Jhonny Gonzalez, Sebastian
Valdez vs. Terrance Cauthen. The main event was a
title eliminator bout between Bronco McKart vs. Alex
Bunema, where the IBF’s Junior Middle Weight
number one contender would be determined.
Last week on one of the fringe cable
channels, I saw a Boxing program called “So You
Wanna Fight?” They had some amateur fights and
some local-yokel fights between some members of the
FDNY. The most exciting thing about these fights was
the introductions, where the fighters displayed their
meanest looks and flexed their muscles for the cameras.
As soon as the bell rang, these mean looking dudes
turned into buffoons, with no balance, strategy or
self-control.
The fighters on this fringe network
show were sloppy, obviously undisciplined and unentertaining.
After watching a few moments of the fight between
two firemen, I was embarrassed for them both, as neither
winner nor loser looked any better aesthetically.
I did gain a new respect for professional boxers.
I didn’t watch for long because the quality of
these fights was so poor, but I did have a realization
before I turned it off; it’s truly hard work
to be a professional boxer. It takes years of training
the body, mind and spirit to be in the kind of shape
to go for several rounds of punishment and physical
exertion. Although a physical sport, the mind must
be mentally able to stay focused on your strategy,
less fall prey to the better-prepared opponent.
There is so much detail involved in
the art of Boxing, footwork, defense, counter punching,
timing, range, pacing, etc. Many subtleties that often
go unnoticed but make all the difference. The difference
between Boxing and other team-sports is that you are
a solo athlete in the ring with another boxer who
is trying to hurt you. On a football team, the running
back may have a bad day, but if the quarterback has
a good day passing, the team can still pull off a
win. In Boxing, you’re the whole team. If any
part of you fails, a twisted ankle, loss of eyesight
in one or even both eyes from punches, mental distractions
that take you out of your strategy, like rage over
a foul, or even an accidental or intentional head
butt can all help you lose a fight. If you’re
lucky, you have a good corner to help you between
rounds with advice, water, and hopefully a good Cut-man.
It’s a shame that so many fighters
who train so hard and long are often robbed when they
do succeed at getting an opportunity to fight the
big fights. They must win by knock out in order to
avoid the corruption of paid off judges robbing them
with bogus scorecards. It’s not enough to out-box
an opponent or simply win, without a knock out; you
are at the mercy of the judges, who are at the mercy
of the promoters who pay them off. On occasion, the
real winners emerge victorious, but more often than
not, corrupt judges render the loser the winner. Some
times it really stinks. How many times have we thrown
our arms up in disgust at some of the decisions made
by judges in professional Boxing? Corruption plays
a major role in professional Boxing, and good fighters
are robbed all the time. It happened this weekend.
Anyway, enough bitching, let’s
get to the fights.
Ablorh Sowah vs. Jhonny Gonzalez
Jhonny Gonzalez improved his record
to 14-2 (12 KO’s)after stopping Ablorh Sowah
(16-3-1-11 KO’s) in the 10th round of a scheduled
12 rounder for the vacant NABF Bantamweight title.
Using his advantage of height and reach, Gonzalez
was the more effective aggressor, and in the 10th
round, threw a barrage of unanswered punches forcing
referee Robert Bird to halt the contest with Gonzalez
emerging the winner via TKO.
Terrance Cauthen vs. Sebastion
Valdez
In a Jr. Welterweight bout, Terrence
Cauthen improved to (20-1-0-17 KO’s) as his bout
with Sebastian Valdez (16-3-0-6KO’s) was stopped
due to an accidental head butt, which left Valdez
badly cut over the right eye, causing an early stoppage
in a fight that I had even on my card but was scored
38-36 on all three of the judges scorecards. I think
fights that don’t go more than 6 rounds should
be fought with protective headgear to avoid these
unnecessary injuries.
Bronco McKart vs. Alex Bunema
For the main event, very much favored
Bronco McKart (45-3-0-29 KO’s) took on Alex Bunema
(19-3-1-11 KO’s) at 154 lbs. to determine who
would be the IBF’s # 1 ranked contender and mandatory
fight for the winner of Shane Mosley vs. Winky Wright,
which is scheduled to be fought in February of 2002.
I don’t understand how this fight
was scored. My scoring must need some financial help
to influence my vision; I had Bunema winning the 12
round contest 116-113. Of the three judges, only Marty
Dinkins had Bunema ahead at 115-113, Larry Rosalea
had it 116-112 for McKart, as did Donald Bird at 117-111
for McKart. Seems like all McKart had to do was show
up and not get knocked out and the win was his. It
just goes to show, if you don’t knock out your
opponent, you leave it in the judges hands, where
the promoters usually get their money’s worth
from the judges.
This fight was pretty boring, I thought
Bunema out hustled McKart, who seemed shy about throwing
punches. In a fight where neither fighter seems to
have the edge, I usually score rounds based on who
is the aggressor, who seems to want it more, and that
was Bunema in my opinion. Neither fighter ever hurt
the other, but I saw McKart as fighting Bunema’s
fight, which was basically on the inside.
From what I saw of McKart on Friday,
he will be easy prey for the likes of Mosley or Wright.
I can’t see him lasting more than a couple of
rounds with either of them.
Until next time, enjoy all your favorite
sports.
Sharkie
