Sharkie´s Week in Boxing: Butler vs Grant, Gossip and more

By Frank Gonzalez

James Butler (18-2-0-12 KO’s) vs. Richard Grant (13-8-0-2 KO’s)

26.11.01 On Friday night at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City, James Butler of Harlem fought Jamaican Richard Grant of Brooklyn, for a 10 round match with IBF ranking implications in the Light Heavyweight division.

Coming into the fight, Butler displayed a lack of sportsmanship, practically being coerced by the ref to touch gloves to begin the bout. In their last fights, Grant beat Vitaliy Kopytko by TKO in nine rounds. Butler had lost a 12 round decision to Sven Ottke.

Grant scored points with jabs, combinations and defense. He used movement and kept Butler at bay throughout the fight. Butler’s game plan was to stalk and look for the big knockout, a poor strategy. Butler is a boring fighter who doesn’t throw many punches. He did not try to work the body of Grant, or use the jab to set up his big shots. Grant out-boxed Butler for nine of 10 rounds, a victory by decision was inevitable for Grant in this sleepy affair. After 10 rounds, Michael Buffer entered the ring and read the judges’ scorecards, which unanimously rendered Grant the winner. No surprise there.

After the decision was announced, Grant turned to Butler with open arms, looking to show sportsmanship and hug his opponent, mouthing the words “Good fight.” With still taped, ungloved hands and Grant unsuspecting, Butler sucker-punched him, knocking Grant to the canvas. Unable to hit Grant during the fight, Butler took the cheap shot, leaving Grant with a broken jaw, bleeding on the canvas. Everyone in attendance was stunned. The crowd chanted “Lock Him Up, Lock Him Up!”

There were hundreds of police officers on hand for the event, dubbed “Fighting for America; a night of Thanksgiving” which made charitable contributions to the victims of the Sept. 11th tragedy. Butler was escorted from the ring by police, arrested and charged with felonious assault in the second degree. The new commissioner of the New York State Athletic Commission, Ray Kelly was also on the scene and can now demonstrate NYSAC’s enforcement of the rules. Butler’s purse of $10,000 was withheld. If it were millions, I wonder if that would have been the case.

When Mike Tyson shocked the world by biting off parts of Evander Holyfield’s ears in their Championship fight, it set a new precedent as to how much one could get away with in Boxing. Tyson was banned for one year, and fined a relatively small amount considering the size of his purse and reputed wealth. The proverbial ‘slap on the wrist.’ Mike Tyson is a big money generator, so of course he was later allowed to continue his Boxing career, complete with top ranking status. James Butler is hardly a household name. Hopefully his next fight will be against ‘Big Bubba’ in cellblock C, May we never see him fight professionally again.

Butler was ranked eighth in the IBF’s Light-Heavyweight division, I’m sure his ranking dropped considerably due to his second consecutive loss, regardless of his un-sportsman-like conduct. If this were a lawful nation, I would assume Butler’s license to fight would be banned forever. Unfortunately, with all the corruption and lack of a national commission for American Boxing, other States will probably allow him to box in their domains (with a little financial incentive I’m sure).

The criminal and cowardly act of James ‘The Harlem Hammer’ Butler, is a disgrace his people and to the sport of Boxing.

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A. White vs. J. Taylor

This was a classic mismatch. The kind of fight that young ‘up and coming’ fighters who are being protected by their managers get to enjoy. Jermain Taylor was about a foot taller than Adrian White, who was obviously there to make Taylor look good. Taylor advanced his record to 7-0 when the referee Jim Santis stopped the fight early in the 4th round, as White seemed unable to keep up with Taylor. There were no protests about the stoppage.

Clarence Vinson vs. Giovanni Collado

This was a fast and furious six round bantamweight fight. It was hard to score the first few rounds, but by the third round, it was clear the superior fighter was the former Olympian, Clarence Vinson. The judges gave him the decision. I had Vinson winning 59-55 on my scorecard.

Richard Kiley (14-2-4-4 KO’s) vs. Brian Adams (14-2-1-6 KO’s)

This looked like another mismatch from the start as Brian Adams towered over Richard Kiley. Being the shorter man, Kiley tried to get on the inside, where his short arms could reach Adams, but ended up blocking with his face, tasting too many jabs from the long armed Adams who caused Kiley’s right eye to swell so badly that the fight was stopped in the middle of the fifth round. The referee and the ringside doctor agreed that Kiley’s eye was swollen shut and was impeding his vision. Adams said he injured his right hand during the fourth round of this relatively easy fight.

Carlos Hernandez (34-3-1-21) vs. Justin Juuko (36-5-1-25)

Carlos Hernandez lost a 12 round unanimous decision to brittle handed Floyd Mayweather in May of this year. Justin Juuko was another hand picked opponent/victim of Mayweather, who knocked him out in the ninth round of their ‘Championship’ fight back in May of 1999. In their battle with each other, Juuko demonstrated why he’s been selected as the next opponent for Panchito Bojado, who always looks spectacular against carefully selected opponents.

The fight took place in Utah, of all places. Hernandez and Juuko exchanged big blows in the early rounds, then as the fight progressed Hernandez emerged the better of the two, landing the cleaner shots and out-boxing Juuko who did little late and paid for it as Hernandez out pointed him and improved his record to 35-3.

Speculation and Gossip

Bernard Hopkins is almost ready to sign the dotted line to fight Carl Daniels on February 2nd, 2002. Looks like Hopkins is going to ride the money train before more serious matches with De La Hoya, Vargas, Mosley or even Roy Jones Jr. who he would meet at a catch weight of 165lbs. Although Roy beat Bernard way back in May of 1993, I doubt ‘safety first’ Roy Jones Jr. would take a fight with someone of Hopkins’ caliber nowadays. Roy prefers fighting tomato-can opponents who make him look invincible. Hopkins is now considered dangerous; so don’t expect a Jones vs. Hopkins bout any time …ever.

Who will Lewis fight next?

The names in the game:

John Ruiz, Champion of the bogus WBA is unproven as he fights endless bouts with Evander Holyfield, who should have retired after he beat Tyson twice.

Then there is Larry Donald, who lost to Kirk Johnson, who is undefeated and probably the most dangerous outside of Wlad Klitschko.

There’s Lance “Goofi” Whitaker who might be considered since he presents an easy title defense for Lewis between more serious competition.

Fres Oquendo is just not ready for a fight as big as Lewis.

Chris Byrd is in line to fight as the top contender on this side of the world. Although he is considered an efficient boxer, the problem with Byrd is his lack of punching power. Lewis would probably win a long, boring fight with the cagey Byrd.

As for who the number one contender in the Heavyweight division is, the fighter who most deserves a Championship fight with Lennox Lewis, I have to say its Wladimir Klitschko, currently the lightly regarded WBO H.W. Champion. Klitschko did beat Chris Byrd convincingly, who beat David Tua, who knocked out both Hasim Rahman and Oleg Maskaev. Now that Wlad claims to have injured his shoulder, don’t expect him to be at the front of the line for a while.

Lewis wants Mike Tyson, who in 1996 paid him $4 million, NOT to fight him, opting to fight a ‘fixed’ match with Bruce Seldon instead. Lennox wants Tyson’s name on his list of defeated opponents for the sake of his own legacy. A fight with Tyson would be the biggest money event Lewis will ever be able to generate. If Mercer ends up beating Tyson, which is not a far-fetched thought, Tyson will likely disappear. Why fight Wladimir Klitschko for a lot less money, and the prospect of being beaten by the young, powerful European who when healthy, has a better chance of beating Lewis anyway?

By The Way

The Nevada State Athletic Commission will hold a hearing on November 30th to determine what to do about the Zab Judah situation. On Nov. 3rd, after being knocked out in the 2nd round by Kostya Tszyu, Zab Judah threw his stool into the center of the ring, stuck his gloved fist into referee Jay Nady’s neck and had to be restrained by security at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas. The commission will do one of three things; fine and suspend him, revoke his Boxing license, or nothing at all. We all have our feelings about what should happen, let’s see how the commission handles this clear-cut case of dangerous unsportsman like conduct when it comes to a big money generating fighter.

Until next time, enjoy all your favorite sports.

Sharkie