Ringside With Raymundo 01.13.11: Boxing on Primetime!

Posted by Raymundo Dioses on 01.13.2011

This week, Muhammad Ali as “Dark Gable”, a fighter who’s greener than St. Patrick’s Day, Mayweather is a dud at dating and the return of Through My Eyes!


Ali past his best days

I don't know if you noticed it, but boxing was all over cable television last week and weekend.

If you are a boxing fan, it's great.

If you are not a boxing fan, well, take your spoon, swallow and learn about the sport nicknamed the sweet science.

First off, I caught the tail-end of the '30 for 30' series that chronicled Muhammad Ali's bout against a young, and younger than he, Larry Holmes.

Being the fight aficionado that I am, it was very sad to see the footage of an aged Ali, definitely well past his prime and clad in a mustache with which Ali dubbed himself "Dark Gable".

Yes, the humor was still there, the joviality with media and fans alike and even the funny quips and sayings that made Ali the most famous athlete on the planet. He still flashed his smile, stuck out his "Louisville Lip", posed for pictures and kissed the cheeks of gawking female admirers and even put on a magic show for the youngsters.

What were no longer there were the timing, the footwork, and the punching ability that Ali used to make look easy.

It must have hard for anyone watching to see Ali struggle with the speed bag, get worked by the heavy bag instead of the other way around, and having the appearance that would better suit a retired fighter than a faded one seeking to upset an undefeated heavyweight champion years his junior in a title fight in 1980.

The inside look at the training camps heading into the fight were something that the mainstream has not been exposed to, and it effectively shed light on just why the most beloved athlete of out time now struggles with the disease of Parkinson's.

It was heard to watch, yet it was still a welcome sight since Ali once again made us laugh, even with thirty year old jokes.

What was an even greater sight for the ‘30 for 30' special was that ABC picked it up and showcased the show during the weekend.

When was the last time you saw anything boxing related on the lower numbered channels other than those 5 second HBO PPV clips that the local news shows air to talk about the results?

Next up, in no particular order, came via my girlfriend.

She had pressed pause to her previously programmed show and told me to look at the television.

On it was Floyd Mayweather Jr., who was sitting at a dinner table with Chili of TLC, on a series which is aimed to help Chili find love, or something like it.

I watched as another man walks up to the table, interrupts the engagement and even plants a kiss on Chili's cheek twice, once in the introduction, and the second a fond farewell until she gets rid of baldy with the big watch on.

Mayweather did absolutely zero to halt another man from interrupting an obvious dinner date, and while I will withhold any manly things that us hot heads normally do in these instances, let alone a man who for a profession throws his fists for pay, I will take objection to the treatment Mayweather threw the former pop star.

Mayweather made Chili ‘chase waterfalls' during the whole episode, taking his large entourage with him on a date, using his effective ‘shoulder roll' move from boxing to bob and weave out of the way of Chili's questions of if he wants a serious relationship, (Direct quote: "If I told you everything today, I wouldn't have anything to tell you tomorrow" Very slick, very wrong to tell a woman) and as a capper to the night, Mayweather fell asleep on the couch in the hotel Chili and he was in.

For shame, Mayweather, you should not treat women from TLC like that.

Or women in general.

Which brought me to my next thought: this had to be aired prior to Mayweather's alleged physical tussle with the mother of his children, of which he will appear in court later this month for, right?

Right, Chili?

The next time I saw boxing on television was the inaugural showing of ESPN's acclaimed ‘Friday Night Fights' series, which produced the first major televised boxing of the year, as well as the sports first, and possibly biggest upset in 2011 when Mauricio Herrera grinded out a unanimous decision nod over the favored Ruslan Provodnikov.

While I don't necessarily agree with the outcome, let alone the unanimous decision victory scored by Herrera, I thoroughly enjoyed watching two up and coming young contenders giving their all and fighting with hearts the size of that Future Hall of Famer Rocky Balboa.

Herrera is a Cali prospect whom I've covered live many times, so I knew both him and his brother, though overmatched in both of their bouts, would still give their all in the ring from bell to bell.

Speaking of the younger brother, he was beat by Demetrius Andrade in the opening telecast bout, but it was anything but pretty.

Although Adradade showed some signs of ability and promise, he looked greener than St. Patrick's Day and did nothing to further his career with the victory.

No doubt, we will be seeing more of Andrade in the future. Let's just hope it's later rather than sooner when Andrade develops more into the complete fighter he will one day be.

The final bit of boxing coverage I saw on mainstream television this weekend was Sports Central's welcoming of the "retired" Fernando "El Feroz" Vargas.

Initially, I thought Vargas was going to announce his return to the fight game. There have been rumors that he is looking to come back to the ring, and one rumor suggested it could be on a Friday Night Fights telecast in 2011.

However, after showing the obligatory clips of ‘Fernando's Best Moments' (you know the ones, flurries against Trinidad, who actually beat him in the contest, and that infamous second round with De La Hoya when he almost knocked DLH through the ropes) Vargas chose to promote his promotional company, Vargas Entertainment Promotions, or Productions, or something like that.

Host Jim Hill evidently didn't know this was a common occurrence in boxing, for a fighter, current or retired, to begin a ‘promotional company'.

Don't believe me? Well, have you heard of ‘Mayweather Promotions' or ‘Super Judah Promotions'?

Fighters attach their ‘promotional companies' to their fights on a regular basis. (By the way, ‘Mayweather Promotions', based in Las Vegas, is not an officially licensed promotional company by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.)

Vargas, although not appearing too out of shape if a comeback were to happen, did not speak with the orator-ness of say, Barack Obama. He stumbled his words and screwed up the free plug of his promotional company, only getting out ‘Vargas Entertainment Promotions' and wasn't able to think on the spot of the other partners involved in his company.

They asked Vargas about his thoughts on Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., and why no one has been able to sit these guys down and make the fight possible.

Vargas answered, "Why should Mayweather make a penny less than Manny Pacquiao?"

Take from that what you will, but seeing Vargas reminded me of the recent times I've spotted him at fights. The first was the Home Depot Center last year, as he was adorned by the crowd for pictures and autographs. The second was at the MGM after the May/Mosley fight, and I walked by Vargas, who was staring intently at the ring, possibly longing for one last fight on the grand stage, and instead of asking him some question, being the reporter that I am, I continued to walk by and let him have his moment.

Vargas didn't announce this weekend that he was coming back, but he did use his time to further his company and the sport of boxing to a nationally televised audience.

The exposure that boxing got last weekend is very much needed in light of the twice-over fallout of negotiations to have the sports two biggest names fight in Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Regardless of if this fight happens at all, the sport of boxing will trudge on.

Fighters will continue to fight, and continue to bleed.

Pay per views will be sold, and fans will continue to show up, however many or few, to Las Vegas, New York and New Jersey, as well as anywhere in the country where there are ropes hung around a squared circle with three men in the ring; two fighting and one making sure the punches are clean.

The sport lives on, no matter how popular or grand stage it can get.

Marciano retired; Dempsey left, as well as Louis and Ali.

And yet the sport has carried on into the television era, and beyond.

And it will continue to.

But more times like last weekend wouldn't hurt.

LIGHTS OUT

FX premiered their boxing themed reality series ‘Lights Out', which portrays a retired fighter opting to return to the ring for one last go round.

As of this writing, I have not personally seen any of the episodes made available in advance to the pens of the sport.

I would like to watch the series from the comfort of my home on my 46" flat screen in HD, thank you very much.

I wish all the success in the world to the show, which can further carry boxing into the mainstream, which was the theme of this whole article.

And I have to say, I hope it's better than "The Fighter".

THROUGH MY EYES

Here's to hoping Chris Arreola comes in shape and ready to go for a bounce back year in 2011. He went to the Lone Star state for a change of scenery as well as a new trainer in Ronnie Shields. His first test will be later this month against Joey Abell in Temecula later this month in a fight televised by FNF. The heavyweight division is still ripe for the taking, and those Klit bro's are only getting older. Hopefully the younger Arreola is getting healthier and aiming to once again be called the No. 1 contender in the world… Read a great piece on Holyfield on RingTv.com. I've always believed Holyfield should be able to box as long as he is physically able… Get your ticket money ready right now for March 5, if Katsidis/Guerrero can get made as an undercard fight on the ‘Noche De Canelo', its going to be a memorable night in Anaheim… So JCCJ is fighting in Mexico next month, huh? AND he is being hand delivered one of the best trainers in the game, Freddie Roach, who needs to have his passport ready to get across the border? And we thought Richie Rich was spoiled… Wow, what a bowl game with Auburn and Oregon! I am not partial to either team, so it was a joy to see the two college's exchange blow after blow boxing style even into the final tics…