My Counter Punch: Responses to Reader’s comments

By Fred De La Riva

Doug Fischer at MaxBoxing.com has his "Monday Mailbag". Pedro Fernandez at RingTalk.com has his "Your e-mail" section. Me, I’ll have "My Counter Punch." And you know-it-alls better be ready for it, because I will not pull any punches. I will talk about your momma, and I will hit below the belt. If you respect me, I will respect you. If you don’t, get ready for the counter punch......

The majority of the responses I have received to my latest article have been vicious. I should have known better about writing about the heavyweight division, especially about Lewis and one of the Klitschko’s. The Klitschko fans, much like the Tyson and RJJ fans, see their favorite fighter through rose-colored glasses. Hey, I can’t blame you. I was there once before too, with all-time great Julio Cesar Chavez. Believe it or not, I accepted his "draw" against, Pernell Whitaker way back in the day. I should have thrown up instead. At any rate, it’s time for my response. In the essence of saving time, I can only pick and choose from selected responses to this article.

With a name like "Mikey C", I am wondering if your eyes were not at the fighter’s crotches instead. The fight in its self wasn’t bad per se, but it was no Foreman/Lyle as many were quick to point out. As far as the "idiot" comment, you should really learn how to spell "horrendous".

This so called writer is nuts-hey Eastside never let this clown write again.He is a racist-let him fight Klitchko!

-- Buck Shaw • 06/22/03 04:16pm

What did I say that was racist? Do you even know the meaning of the word Upchuck Buck? Hey Eastside never let this jerk-off respond again until he takes some reading comprehension classes!

This article PROVES that some boxing writers hurt the sport and it's reputation.
This was a great fight and anyone who wasn't thrilled from watching it cannot call themselves a true fan of boxing. Get a life De La Riva!!!!!!!!!

--John • 06/22/03 04:19pm

How did I hurt the sport John? Read the article again. In brief all I said was that Vitali blew his chance and could not adjust. I addition I said that Lewis was out of shape. Do you disagree with that? So I didn’t like the fight as much as you. So what? I didn’t care too much for "The Matrix Reloaded" either and I have a life thank you very much. Come to think of it, I’m sitting here writing a stupid response to a man I will never know. Maybe you’re right. I don’t have a life.

You had the fight even...alright. How long ya been blind. I guess Lewis wasn't hurt even though he was 1 punch from getting knocked out in round 2.

?--braddman • 06/22/03 04:52pm?

I’ve been blind since the day your fat-ass momma took of her clothes in front of me. Stank-ho didn’t even have the decency to clean up, and no, Lewis wasn’t about to go down. He was winded and Vitali stunned him, so he decided to hold. I am going to assume you had the fight four to two. I had it three to three. One round difference braddman. Now quit smelling your seat cushion and join the rest of us.

--Richard Pye • 06/22/03 05:03pm

Hair-Pye. According to you I should be the one that is criticized. For what? Saying that last night’s fight will not go down in history as one of the division’s best? Please say you are kidding. The majority of the punches were wild. Lewis in particular had very little technique. Now as far as Foreman and Lyle looking like "two drunks in a bar fight", I agree with you, especially since both are considered among the divisions heavier punchers at that time. They pretty much scrambled their brains during that fight. And the 70’s heavy’s as a whole were better skilled than this current bunch we have now. The only thing that would have hurt them is that today’s heavies are huge.

The "writer" is a jerk-I will never read another of his "articles".

--Boss Hoss • 06/22/03 05:07pm

Thank you "Boss Hoss". Don’t read my articles again. Now go get Billy Joe. I think the "dern" cows gone up and gotten out of the corral again. Dash-nabbit!

Unbiased ? Nothing was positive? Great fight six exciting,gruelins and
thrillins rounds.Both fighters showed that had heart.Vitali is awkward ,but still showing
ok handspeed and good footwork for someone being so big.I have seen most of his fights.
I think Lewis will win a return fight.

--roar • 06/22/03 05:09pm

You’re right Roar. Maybe it wasn’t unbiased, as I have come to loathe the Heavyweight division. I tried to angle it from an objective point of view. I’ll try better next time. Good post.

You brother are an unbiased hater. The once proud EastSideBoxing site should ask people having a different viewpoint to write for EastSideBoxing (or change its name to AntiEastSideBoxing). Though I shall admit your writing skills are better than the majority of ESB authors.

--Pavlo • 06/22/03 05:25pm

First of all, I am not your brother, unless my father started slumming again. Eastside Boxing is a great site with many different viewpoints. The editors of this site have gone to great lengths to expose you to all of them. As a result, the site has exploded. In my opinion it is now one of the premier sites in all of boxing.

Fred, I truly pity you.

--John Davis • 06/22/03 05:27pm

Don’t pity me John. Pity that poor woman that let’s you climb on top of her and no it’s not my momma. (Beat you to the punch)

Everybody is so ready to say that Vitali won the fight but it's interesting to see each fighter’s faces after the fight. Vitali's was F'ed up while Lewis' was alright. And this is after Vitali was supposedly winning the fight for six rounds. I think the stoppage was just and if they didn't then Vitali would have ended up looking like Rahman when he fought Holyfield. OUT

--T • 06/22/03 05:30pm

My point exactly. The blood-mongers among us wanted the fight to go on. Vitali’s cut was horrible and his vision was at stake. Yes he wanted to continue, but thank God someone came to their senses and stopped the fight. It should have been stopped much earlier.

I will not put a spin on the fight like the author of this article to save face and claim the score was "even." -- Boris Yeltsin Kruchev Gorbachev Jr. • 06/22/03 05:33pm

Very good response. Well thought out, unlike others I have received. I’ve only copied one sentence out of your very long response since I must take cumbrance with your comment above. I was not trying to put a spin on it. See my article way back in January. If Klitschko had won, I would look much better.

This part is for the AUTHOR. A fighter can get knocked out and hurt meaning dazed or shocked without being cut. Having a cut doesnot mean that u are on the verge of getting knocked out. Go do some research and learn what boxing is before trying to write an artcial on a sport u obviosuly know nothing about

--billy • 06/22/03 05:47pm

When did I ever say Vitali was on his way to being knocked out? All I said was that Lewis was coming on. Now you go do some spell check before you decide to post.

This is the most shameful "article" I have ever read. Horrible, inaccurate and, most of all, heavily biased. What were you thinking when you wrote it? Awful.

--jonathan derrek • 06/22/03 05:50pm

Point out my so-called inaccuracies and maybe I’ll respond

I think I liked the fight more than you did Fred. It was competitive and interesting even though Lewis wasn't at his best. His poor conditioning made it a more even fight and I was disappointed it got stopped. Vitali was looking the fitter guy in there but Lewis had the equaliser in his power. I think Vitali was the favourite to nick a points win but it would have been nice to see how things turned out if not for the cuts.

--Murali P • 06/22/03 06:14pm

Good post Murali. You know as well as I do though, that in a Heavyweight bout anything can happen. I honestly think that Lewis had taken Vitali’s best shot and Lewis had yet to land one of his trademarked rights. Vitali’s jab was just too much for him to that point. Maybe Vitali would have won on points. Maybe not. After all, you and I can only make educated guesses as to the result, unlike a bunch of the guys here who seem to be able to see the future.

Hey grandpa, stick to drinking your metamucil and bitchin about the state of today's boxing. Your writing sucks.

--g man • 06/22/03 06:54pm

Hey g man, I’m 33 years old. Hardly a grandpa. Now take the pacifier out of your butt and come up with something better. What’s the "g" stand for anyway? Never mind, I’ve already questioned another poster’s sexual preferences.

One of the poorest analysis I've ever seen on the Eastside homepage. Cr*p analysis and cr*p author.

--Franco • 06/22/03 07:29pm

Details Franco. Details. How do you expect me to respond?

Unbiased my ass! You're an a$$hole.

--Goog • 06/22/03 07:35pm

I’ll take that as a compliment from a guy that calls himself "Goog".

For the authors like this one, today’s heavyweights would never be good enough, especially not Klitschko. Yes, Vitali K. is awkward and methodical. I don’t think he will ever change his style of fighting. Does he really need to if it works for him? I agree that he can improve his style but not completely change it. Vitali is never going to fight like a boxer who was trained in US.
Even though Vitali K. lost, he answered to some questions:
yes, he has heart and will;
yes, he can go the distance;
yes, he can fight a technically more superior and experienced fighter;
yes, he can hold hard hits;
and yes, he can resist the pressure.

I enjoyed the fight. Don’t think Lewis was in good shape and if there’s a rematch (I doubt it will happen), Lewis will have more of a chance to win. There would be a more tactical jabbing contest and less trade of blows but even then, Vitali will have his chance for victory.
Good fight, bad article.

--YS • 06/22/03 07:44pm

YS-Except for the bad article part, we practically agree on everything.

HEY FRED DE LA RIVA!!!!!!!! YOU ARE A "SO-CALLED" WRITER!!!! AND THIS STUPID ARTICLE IS NOTHING SPECIAL!!!!!!!! NO ONE AREE'S WITH YOU AND YOU KNOW IT PISSES YOU OFF SOMETHING FEIRCE, SHUT UP AND GO BACK TO ITALY AND SHUT UP, YOU AND YOUR OFFENSIVE COMMENTS, PPPTUHHHUUUUYEYY, MAX KELLERMAN SHOULD STRAIGHTEN YOU OUT YOU CRAZYNUMNUTWIERDPERSONDUMNYFACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

--2 coo4u o 06/23/03 04:47am

What pisses me something fierce is that I don't know what the hell you are talking about. Max Kellerman? Where the hell did that come from? I sure hope English is not your primary language, because you missed something along the way. 2 coo4u? Try 2stupidforme. That name fits you better don't you "AREE"? And for the last time I am not Italian, though in the next life I sure hope to be.

That’s pretty much it for now. There are just too many e-mails and responses to get to all of them. Until the next time people, but get ready for "My Counter-punch", because your insults and or praises will never again go unnoticed.

Feel free to contact the author at delariva69@sbcglobal.net