07.04.04 – By Gavin Macleod – The sound of the final bell had rung out across the Manchester Evening News Arena and the whole audience rose to their feet to applaud one of the greatest fights seen in a British ring for many years. It was the 18th of October 2003 and Michael Brodie had just battled it out with Korean In-Jin Chi for the vacant WBC featherweight title during twelve of the most brutal rounds you are ever likely to witness.
It was a fantastic night for all concerned and one that was only marred by the scorecard fiasco that took place at the end of the fight, when Chi, after a long delay, was announced the winner of a majority decision. This was then to be overturned at a meeting backstage when a calculation error on Judge Hubert Minn’s card was rectified and the bout was announced as a draw. It was a black spot on what was an absolutely sensational fight but the good news for the boxing fans is that this coming Saturday (10th April) the two nine stone warriors are set to do it all again and both are hoping to set the record straight.
Brodie’s promoter, Barry Hearn, has done his man a huge favour in not only securing a rematch for his fighter, but also in once again bringing the fight to the MEN Arena. Indeed the main concern for the Brodie camp was that if a rematch went to purse bids, then the Chi camp would possibly bid an extravagant amount, hence ensuring that they got to decide where the fight took place, with the most likely destination being Seoul, Korea. This proved not to be the case as Barry Hearn’s Matchroom Sports managed to outbid the Koreans and bring the fight back to Brodie’s hometown of Manchester again.
So now that the bids have been made, the details finalised and the contracts signed, it is up to Michael Brodie, 35-1-1 (22), and In-Jin Chi, 27-2-1 (16), to once again step between the ropes and try and prove who is the better fighter. Looking at both men’s make-up you get the feeling that each is willing to go that little bit further than they did in the first fight, if it is possible, in the hope of walking away with the coveted green WBC world championship belt.
For Chi, 30, this will represent his third tilt at the WBC 126lb title having previously lost a close twelve round decision to Erik Morales and the draw with Michael Brodie, in what was the UK’s “Fight of the Year” for 2003. He should have had no problems coming to terms with the Morales loss, as the man from Tijuana has since gone on to further establish his legacy as one of the great fighters around at this time.
However, the draw with Brodie was seen as controversial by the boxing public as many felt that Chi won by two clear rounds, and was rightfully named the victor at the end of the fight. After speaking with Chi after the fight, through his interpreter, I am aware that he definitely felt he did enough to go home the champion. It was not to be however, and after a see-saw struggle the fight went to the cards which resulted in chaos as judge Minn docked Brodie two points, for the clash of heads in the first round, when he was only entitled to dock one.
It was a fight that saw a performance for the ages, an absolutely exhilarating roller coaster ride of emotion that took the boxing fan to places where very few fights can. A place where Micky Ward and Arturo Gatti know very well, and a place that is only accessible to two men willing to give it everything they have to reach. The first fight was such a night as Brodie and Chi went beyond the call of duty and although Brodie was deducted a point in the first and was down in the second, he showed the heart of a man who would stop at nothing to reach the top of the mountain that he has been climbing for so long, and in that respect he deserved a draw and the chance to do it again. The only thing that matched Brodie’s bravery and heart on the night was that of his Korean rival who repeatedly fought back when “Mikie” slammed home his hurtful left hooks to the ribs, as he too refused to be denied what he has sought after his whole boxing life, a real world title.
Brodie, 29, will be making his third attempt at a WBC belt having had the draw with Chi, but previously having been robed for the WBC 122lb title against Sacramento’s Willie Jorrin. The grievances Brodie has felt from that fight were surpassed by the Chi fight, as Brodie and his team declared their belief that their man had done enough to deserve a victory from the Chi fight. When you consider that Brodie lost his unbeaten record, a world title, and in front of his hometown fans at Bowlers in Manchester, you get the idea of how aggrieved the Mancunian will feel when he walks between the ropes this Saturday.
Chi has stated that Brodie was a tougher fighter than Erik Morales, and taking into account the reputation of Morales, that is praise indeed from the Seoul native. Brodie has also acknowledged Chi as his hardest opponent to date but on the same hand has shown his hand by stating that if need be he will be willing to “go to war again”. Certainly for the two fighters to have engaged in such an all out blood and guts conflict the first time, and still speak very kindly of each other is a sign of the level of sportsmanship that can still exist in the sport today.
Brodie knows that Chi’s tactics will more than likely remain the same; he brings a straightforward attacking style that seems to be immune to pain and baffled by the thought of a backward step. In his fights with Morales and Brodie he has looked to own a chin made from the finest Titanium and a heart that engulfs the whole of his 5ft 7in frame. In this respect he may be the one who will change his tactics.
Brodie is a fantastic boxer when he chooses to be, but all too often can become embroiled in a toe-to-toe slugfest and he is definitely not afraid to “have it” as he so bluntly puts it. Something his outspoken manager Jack Trickett acknowledges, as he has been quoted in the past saying that Brodie actually enjoys the inside carnage type of fight.
In the first fight Brodie looked to work the jab from the outside and was doing so well until moments into the fight a clash of heads opened a gash on his scalp that oozed blood. With this as a distraction he was caught unawares in the second round and got hurt and dropped by Chi. From that point on the fight took on a battle of titanic proportions as momentum ebbed back and forth.
In this fight Brodie must surely be looking to stick to his boxing as best he can but this will not be easy as Chi is a hard man to keep off. Brodie’s main success in the first fight was when he managed to catch Chi on the ropes and land his trademark body attacks. These sapped a lot from Chi, but he was still able to find new reserves of energy from somewhere and get himself back into the fight.
If Brodie can stick to his boxing then he will hold a distinct advantage over Chi, but one cannot help but feel that sooner or later Brodie will get sucked into a trading off with the Korean and this is where Chi holds the advantage. Both men will have after effects from the first fight and both have been in many hard fights, with Brodie probably stealing the edge on that count, but expect to see them engaging in a slugfest that will bring feelings of déjà vu from their first fight flooding back.
Both men have the ability to hurt the other, and neither is expecting an easy night, but I feel that Brodie has the edge this timeout as he can make a change to his style from the first fight and knows what to expect, but Chi will not be sure which Brodie will be showing up. Will it be boxer Brodie who shows up and if so how long will it take for the proud warrior in Michael to take over and will is stamina fadein the last few rounds? Can Chi ride out the storm of Brodie’s body shots for a second time or will he crumble under them?
In what is a real 50-50 fight, we can only speculate as to what may happen, and extrapolating the outcome is virtually impossible. What is known though is that on the 10th of April at the MEN Arena in Manchester all talking will stop and all questions will be answered.
Like Andre Norton once put it “As for courage and will – we cannot measure how much of each lies within us, we can only trust there will be sufficient to carry through trials which may lie ahead.” Brodie and Chi will be out to show that this is not a trust that has been misplaced.