Max, You Don't Know What You're Watching

By Frank Lotierzo

13.07 - I just want to say right up front, "I had much trepidation about writing this column". However, I believe wholeheartedly it has to be done. More often than not I think Max Kellerman is living proof that the old saying "it's not what you know, it's who you know" is 100% true! I must confess, I don't usually watch Friday night fights on ESPN. Mainly because the fights are usually awful and are set-ups. That being said, the bigger reason is that I won't subject myself to the punishment of listening to Kellerman and Atlas spew their propaganda and agendas. I'm sick and tired of the attitude they project, (only they know boxing and only what they say carries any weight or clout). It's just typical ol-boys networking.

I'll give credit where credit is due, Atlas knows boxings X's and O's as far as what's going on in the ring and usually doesn't say anything ridiculous. My only problem with him is his grandstanding agenda. Kellerman on the other hand has said more ridiculous things than George Foreman. I'm going to forget all that for now. What I will focus on is what I saw on Sportscenter regarding the Mayorga-Forrest welterweight title fight. I usually turn to ESPN after a fight just to see if they give boxing any coverage if it's not a major PPV fight. Usually the coverage is very limited. After hearing Kellerman last night, maybe it's not so bad that they don't give boxing more coverage and attention.

When I tuned into ESPN regarding the Mayorga-Forrest fight, I saw where Max Kellerman picked Forrest to win and scored the fight 116-112 for Forrest which is 8-4 in rounds. Lets be honest, boxing is very subjective regarding the scoring of a fight and everyone interprets a fight differently. However, just as opinions can be outright wrong, so can the scoring of a fight. For Kellerman to say Forrest won eight of the twelve rounds vs Mayorga, is about as crazy as saying 4+4 is 11.

Look, I scored the fight 6-6 in rounds, 114-114 on points. I had it that close because I gave Forrest the 12th round. Yes, I thought Mayorga got a little too much credit for his aggression from the judges and commentators, I felt his punches weren't landing that cleanly. However, there is absolutely no way Forrest won eight rounds. Mayorga clearly carried and made the fight. There wasn't one point in the fight where Forrest was in control. Forrest may have stabilized the fight in the middle rounds but he was never in control.

I felt the fight was close but no way Forrest won, a draw possibly but absolutely not a win for Forrest. The rounds Mayorga won were clear cut, some of the rounds Forrest won he just barely eked out, (this is why the 10 point must is flawed). I have no problem with the fight being scored a draw, if you go round by round you can make a case it was 6-6. If you watch the fight like it is a movie, and don't go round by round, there is only one conclusion, Mayorga got the better of it. In my opinion, the fight was Mayorga 7-5, or if you're generous to Forrest its 6-6 at best.

How in the world can any supposed boxing analyst (Kellerman) watch the Mayorga-Forrest bout and come away scoring it 8-4 in favor of Forrest. What was he watching? Judah-Corley was a good case for 8-4 in favor of Judah but not Mayorga-Forrest. How do these guys get on national TV? They are supposed to be the voices of reason, instead of insanity. Yes, I believe anyone who follows and knows boxing has to be insane if they believe Forrest bettered Mayorga in eight of the twelve rounds they fought. To say Forrest was robbed and deserved eight rounds in the fight is outright wrong! Yes Kellerman scored the Mayorga-Forrest fight absolutely 100% Wrong!

Where is the credibility? I know that some fights are very close and there isn't much to chose from but, the Mayorga-Forrest fight was definitely not one of them. How can any guy be respected as an expert boxing analyst after viewing a fight completely wrong? Yes Mr. Kellerman, you were absolutely wrong in what you watched the night Mayorga and Forrest fought a second time.

It's one thing making a pick on a fight and being wrong, that's no big deal. Most of us have been wrong picking the winner more than we'll admit but, that is not hard to understand because of the unknown going into the bout. However, when you watch a fight and view it completely wrong, it proves only one thing, you don't know what you are watching! Hey Max, you don't know what you're watching!

Writers Note

Only one of two conclusions can be drawn from Kellerman's scorecard, a.) he is so biased because he picked Forrest, that he scored the fight to justify his pick or b.) he really has no clue what he's watching. His ineptness can only be attributed to a or b. Regardless whether it's a or b, it's not good for the real fight fans!