Photo by Tom Casino
08.07.06 - By Wray Edwards: Cory defiantly made yet another ego-slathered rap dance entrance embellished this time with a synchronized line-dance. Karmazin entered to ACDC’s “Highway To Hell” and it was prophetic for him. In the early rounds Spinks’ hand speed and constant movement to his left caused real problems for Roman. Additionally, every time Roman scored while boring in, Spinks would hold.
The tide of the fight shifted significantly in round seven. Karmazin was able to pull the trigger better and Cory began to slow. Spinks also began to retreat and counter with less effectiveness rather than taking shots from his earlier left-hand merry-go-round. My scoring for a Karmazin victory went as follows:
NOTE: Spinks’ score to left for rounds and (bout)
R1- 10/9 Spinks,
R2- 9/10 Karmazin (19-19),
R3- 10/9 S (29/28),
R4- 10/9 S (39/37),
R5- 10/9 S (49/46),
R6- 9/10 K (58/56), (Press Row: 58/56, 58/56, 58,56 - Spinks)
R7- 9/10 K (67/66),
R8- 10/9 S (77/75),
R9- 9/10 K (86/85),
R10- 9/10 K (95/95),
R11- 9/10 K (104/105), (Press Row: 96/94, 95/95, 96/94 – Karmazin)
R12- 9/10 K (113/115) Karmazin.
My scoring was identical to that of press row after six, and in the majority draw after ten when one gave Roman one more than we three. There is no way the scampering Spinks took either the eleventh or twelfth. Due to the very awkward meshing of styles and missed punches, the judging of this fight was inevitably quite subjective. That’s a polite way of saying that should there be a less than open agenda on the part of one or more judges, or a scintilla of bias, things can get messy. The venue also has great effect, and it must take super-human professionalism to be equitable when the cheering ratio is 99 to 1.
The only really serious moment for Spinks came at 2:30 of the second round when Roman jabbed left and caught Cory with a pretty good right that buckled Spinks’ knees to almost 90 degrees as he staggered back. Interestingly Al judged the shot a push while his mike-mate allowed as how Spinks had been stunned. The latter read is the more accurate IMO.
The other eleven rounds were pretty much alike with momentum shifting back-and-forth between the two. Spinks hit-and-run offense combined with his duck-and-grab defense kept Karmazin struggling to focus and deliver. Referee Nelson did separate them every time Spinks, mostly, or Roman, occasionally held on. The trouble was that Mark might have jumped in too soon on many occasions just as Karmazin was about to break free of Cory’s hold and do some serious work inside. An observation he made between rounds and also during the post-fight interview.
Having been out of the ring for some seventeen months, Spinks did show respectable conditioning and skill retention. He tested Roman’s chin several times and Karmazin came right back. Roman appeared to have the better beard. Cory’s jab was quite effective early on, but was less a factor when fatigue set in. Toward the end of the fight Spinks’ trainer was verbally abusive after the tenth and eleventh rounds. Again, it’s bad enough during the rounds having some mug trying to knock your block off, without having to endure a tongue-lashing between rounds.
During the fight Spinks would connect causing Roman to be tentative. In fact he fought the first five or six rounds that way. There were two or three instances when Roman really let’er rip and showed he might be able to deliver a fearsome rumble. Trouble was, he didn’t stick with it.
One minor observation: While the Spinks corner seemed fond of pressing and sliding the endswell across Cory’s face, The Karmazin corner were from the just hold it there school. Doctors have told me that to push the plate across the skin might spread the hematoma, whereas it is better to just hold it still to chill the area.
Cory seems to have made the upward move in weight with some success against this opponent. That’s not to say he would have the edge if he were confronted by Mosley, Vargas or De La Hoya. One thing for sure…a Boxing venue is no place for WWE style production numbers like the one Wlad put on in Germany before his bout with Eliseo Castillo, nor does it seem appropriate to allow rap music video rehearsals to be held in the isles or on the apron of the ring of single combat. Boxing is a single combat blood sport, not a stage for Busby Berkeley production numbers.
The temples of the Sweet Science are not a fitting place for garish music auditions. As in most sports there are, and should be, limits to personal celebrations and forcing others to have to sit through garish displays. As the coach told his wide receiver who had just made the Icky Shuffle look like a funeral procession by his gyrating celebration in the end zone, “Son…next time try to act like you’ve been there before.”
On either end of the event Spinks seems to have little self-control. His corner was mortified as they tried to get him off of the floor where he was blubbering like a punished fifth-grader. He did suffer a long training camp, but that’s supposed to make a man out of you not a whimpering heap. He really did not do all that much during the fight either in aggressive effort or surviving great adversity to be entitled to such hysterical relief.
Karmazin was, thankfully, mature and professional in his reaction to the decision and showed appropriate sportsmanship. His vow to work harder was fitting and he will probably be back.
I believe that Roman carried the fight and should have retained at least by a draw. The Russians and the fighters which are emerging from the republics of the old Soviet Union are bringing great variety and excitement to the world of Boxing. The K-Bros, Valuev, Sultan Ibragimov, Rustam Nugaev and others are adding handsomely to the mix. See you at the fights.
