Before the fight with Steve Cunningham, Tyson Fury showed all of the tact and rhetorical artistry usually found in the boys locker room of a local high school when he told the world of his greatness. During the fight he pounded his chest in the ring like a baboon and shoved Cunningham after the round to give us further evidence of his greatness. And after the fight, Fury took the microphone hostage and treated us to a ballad by Ricky Van Shelton (it being well known the popularity of country music in New York City) so that we would have no doubt that we were witnessing greatness.
The unfortunate thing is that Fury is not great. The reflection Fury sees of himself is not the same one that the boxing public sees. While his accomplishments have been good they have not been great, and while his style has been crudely effective it has obvious flaws. There is as much wrong with the 6’9 former amateur champion as there is right. This heavyweight Narcissus is blind to the fact that he has not proven anything great in the ring.
In an era of ever-increasing hype, where hollow records earn title shots and fans watch in exasperation as fighters spend much of their careers more intent on avoiding each other than testing themselves, two fighters last night demonstrated the right way to go about building a career.
The highly anticipated junior middleweight unification showdown between WBC champion Saul Alvarez and WBA titlist Austin ‘No Doubt’ Trout started on a dramatic note before the action even got underway. The atmosphere at the Alamodome was simply electrifying. The high energy and intensity that exuded during the build-up to the opening bell was so powerful that it could even be felt by the television viewing audience, and it was contagious. Although this was not a hugely publicized contest that created massive appeal among casual fans, the entire event still possessed a magical mainstream vibe that almost helped make it seem far larger in its actual scope. The stage seemed set for something special.
I must say I’m really disappointed in WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s performance tonight in his controversial 12 round unanimous decision over WBA junior middleweight champion Austin Trout (26-1, 14 KO’s) at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Not long to go now until tonight’s action packed evening of boxing action gets underway!
photo by Christy Cap – For the first time, Brooklyn’s magnificent Barclays Center hosted the traditional Daily News Golden Gloves Finals. To a cheering New York crowd, determined amateur boxers tested their courage, skills and endurance. First the National Anthem, then the 10 Count, ten strikes of the bell in memorial of boxing greats in and out of the ring, and it was time for the action.