By Reni M. Valenzuela – Boxing will not run out of controversies because boxing is no longer a sport, but pure business. And that mainly caused its demise as the Sweet Science it used to be. Yet crocodiles are well and alive in the squared ring events these days, alas, ever feasting on the game.
The latest joke is bad, so bad for boxing..
Manny Pacquiao “lost” when he should have clearly won the fight yesterday versus Timothy Bradley just as he “won” over Juan Manuel Marquez when he should have lost the last time they fought. In both highly controversial matchups, the same “astute” promoter appears to be the common denominator. Hence we can only make our imaginations wander and work for the life of the sport.
The worldwide indignation and frustration over the official verdict that Bradley won against Pacquiao by a decision has been intense and resonant, so much so that the people are fired up to make their piece of thought heard because they now begin to see things as they are like never before. They once again realized they were duped.
Much of media is coming out of its closets. And it’s great.
The good news is that something phenomenal is springing forth from this latest controversy. Boxing, just like Lazarus, seems to show some signs of life and I envision the sport as a lifeless mummy trying to get up on its own, and out of its tomb.
Boxing can’t just sit idly by. A strong “one voice” by the people is needed to revive the sport. Plus, a widespread protest by the entire boxing community is in order. The immediate steps to take are as follows:
First is certain responsible persons in the just concluded welterweight championship bout must be probed and sanctioned way beneath the surface of the three judges’ scorecards. Second is the WBO belt should be given back to Pacquiao and declare him the true winner to reverse the earlier judgment by blind masseurs. Third is the Pacquiao-Bradley rematch should not be allowed to happen unless two conditions are met: that Bradley and Marquez should be shipped out of Top Rank to be back to their former promotional outfits from where they were pirated shortly before they engaged Pacquiao; that the Pacquiao-Mayweather and Pacquiao-Marquez IV should be staged ahead of the Pacquiao-Bradley II.
Such are the initial steps to break free from a schemer’s clutch. If liberty you cherish.
renimvalenzuela@yahoo.com