16.02.09 – By Wray Edwards at Ringside – all photos © Wray Edwards/ESB.
Seriously folks, is a boxing match supposed to be in two halves like a football game?
Well, this one was. The first 6.9 Rounds were sort of…uh…er…BORING! With Kermit ghosting around the ring as Martinez would set and try to box to no avail, the booing was well deserved. I watched Don King sit quietly with little to celebrate as Cintron avoided the issue.
Finally, about the Fourth Round, Martinez decided to press a bit…
which caused Kermit to become a sort of Gumby clone as he warped and woofed away from boxing range.
Not that he didn’t make contact from time-to-time with punches that scored, but they were wholly ineffective throughout the match.
Seen here he would “punch” but they were generally whiffers.
Then in round Seven Martinez managed to get closer.
“Closer” was not good for Cintron as Sergio caught him with a couple of tellers and he went down near the ropes.
On his knees while the ref cleared Sergio to a neutral space, Cintron does not look hopeful.
Then all hell broke loose as the ref gave Kermit his eight. To my eye Cintron just did clear the canvass with his glove before the count of ten and the bell sounded. Then the time-keeper, the ref and Sergio all reacted as if the fight was over.
Sergio looks mildly pleased and,
Mounts the corner ropes to salute the booing fans.
Kermit looked puzzled, people were screaming at Sergio to sit down, everybody was pouring into the ring, total chaos ensued and Mr. Hopper with DKP was absolutely ballistic. He was, in fact, so powerfully outraged, I was impressed that a man of his apparent age could show such energetic anger.
I wish I had taken a picture of that, but it was so surprising I was transfixed with awe. One may easily understand what happened next. As the force five DKP rep swirled around the ring, everybody started to clear out, seeking shelter, and soon it was just the two fighters and the ref again.
If things weren’t bad enough already the ref had to take care of some old business before the break and deducted a point from Martinez for taking a pole at Kermit as he was down on the ropes though neither knee nor glove was on the cloth.
“Bad boy Sergio!!”
Well, the half-time show was damn good and we were ready for the second half of the fight.
Unfortunately Kermit resumed his bendy act with occasional faux attacks thrown in for making appearances. The scuffling then continued until the end of the Twelfth Round and we awaited the Judge’s decision which was two 113/113s and a 116/110 for Martinez resulting in a Majority Draw.
This decision was not one which pleased anybody. Sergio got the diamond watch and the interim belt, but the outcome was very questionable. Not good for boxing. Martinez looks pretty good, but considering Kermit’s wimpy performance, Sergio could and should have run him down and gone for broke. I think he could have forced the issue and won. Couldda, shouldda, wouldda…oh well. See you at the fights.