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Boxing
again proves it is it's own worst enemy! Kendall Holt travesty another
"insult" to all boxing fans.
By Mike Indri -Retired Boxers Foundation
(Published September 17, 2007 on HBN)
(SEPT 17) After having had spoken
with several boxing professionals working the championship bout, and
watched over and over the grainy images of the shameful fight's round
eleven, I still had my reservations writing this story.
Kendall Holt is a friend, and an active supporter of the Retired Boxers
Foundation-usually he wears an RBF patch on his boxing trunks.
The last thing I would want to do is insult him, and also tarnish my
image, by writing a biased piece, on another fighter who simply said he
"got robbed" fighting in his opponent's backyard.
This is not that type of story, and being as unbiased and 100% neutral,
as every writer must always be, everything about that WBO Jr.
Welterweight title fight; before, during and after, proves that the only
way Kendall Holt had any chance of getting out of Colombia with that
title belt in his luggage would have been if he had knocked champion
Ricardo Torres out cold - and even then Genaro Rodriguez, a poor excuse
for a professional referee, may have added another inexcusable blunder
during his embarrassingly pitiful job, serving as the third man in the
ring, to not let that happen.
I'm not going to discuss the early knockdown of Torres, which Rodriguez
ruled a slip, or the fact that after a Holt shot dropped Torres flat on
his back late in round 6, Rodriguez insisted on the corner getting
dried, delaying the start of round seven, giving the champion extra time
to recover.
We won't bring up the fact that after scoring the big sixth round
knockdown, Holt getting smacked in the face with a beer can, tossed in
from the stands. Rodriguez gave no reaction when notified by Holt.
What needs to be addressed is the unthinkable and totally out of control
chaos that referee Rodriguez failed to correct, or even acknowledge,
during the final minutes of round eleven, the eventual end of the fight.
After a thunderous left hook by Torres drove Holt into the ropes, a
proper knockdown, the 1,600 plus in attendance at the Barranquilla Jumbo
Salon Country Club in lustful exuberance for their hero, tossed beer
cans, bottles and ice into the ring; dangerously littering and dousing
the canvas. Not only was Holt trying to survive the onslaught of the
knockout minded twenty-seven year old Colombian, who was making the
first defense of his title, the Paterson, NJ native now also had to
contend with the perils of falling, getting cut or even getting hit with
another beer can or flying debris while trying to clear the cobwebs and
stave off his powerful opponent.
Not once during these dangerous moments - with Torres and Rodriguez also
in harms way - did referee Rodriguez ever consider calling for time, so
as to clear the ring canvas of all the beer, ice and debris.
Rodriguez told Herald News boxing writer Keith Idec after the fight,
"Obviously, if I stopped the round because of the slippery floor, then
he (Holt) has got an opportunity to recover. OK? So, I have to make a
decision. In the neutral corner, when I stopped the fight, he (Holt) was
unresponsive. He was taking punches, and (when) the life of a man is in
jeopardy, it's my duty to safeguard that."
At the time of the stoppage Holt, now 22-2 (12 KO's) is throwing a punch
and then vehemently, and clearheadedly, disputes the fight's abrupt end.
Prior to that fateful Torres left hook and going into the eleventh road,
Kendall Holt was leading on two of the three judge's scorecards. Only
the Colombian judge had Torres ahead.
That's another story in itself, a Colombian judge and another judge
whose last name just happens to be Torres. Where else, but the boxing
business, would this insinuation of a conflict of interest even be
allowed to happen? Nowhere else.
According to several of Holt's handlers, afterwards in the hotel lobby,
a still seething Holt wrongfully lashed out, verbally, to Genaro
Rodriguez, whom the twenty-six year old fighter felt was personally
responsible for his not being a champion at that very moment.
To the shock and disbelief of all present, Rodriguez aggressively outdid
the defeated Holt, spewing his own tirade of expletives and challenging
Team Holt. Fortunately for all, cooler heads prevailed and Holt's night
in futility was finally over.
While not proper, or excusable, in light of the situation Holt could be
afforded some leeway for his outburst. What cannot, and must not, be
condoned is the absolute unprofessional actions of a supposed licensed,
professional, official representing the World Boxing Organization acting
like an idiotic fool. Rodriguez proved himself to be an inept referee in
a boxing match of the highest magnitude, which had career, and life,
altering implications on many people. Outside the ring, Rodriguez
further embarrassed himself, and his profession, with actions so absurd
and surreal that a full review is warranted prior to, if ever again,
letting this incompetent Chicago based referee in the ring to work.
One thing that must not be overshadowed in all this mess is the absolute
championship will and heart of Ricardo Torres. The ever courageous
battler who came up on the short end of a knock down, drag out slugfest
against then 140 pound champion Miguel Cotto (09/25/05 KO7), proved his
championship mettle by hanging in there with the highly talented Holt,
and forcing the action in that fateful round eleven. Never giving up or
taking a backward step Torres caught Holt with a monster left hook late
in the round, and sensing his foe was hurt did what he had to do to keep
his title.
Whatever complaints Kendall Holt and his team have, none of them can be
attributed to Ricardo Torres, who fought his heart out. His fortitude
and no quit approach for the entire fight was what put him in the
position to win, and once that opportunity presented itself, Torres, now
32-1 (28 KO's), acted like a true champion and seized the moment.
So much talk recently has been focused on Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and
how this form of fighting has garnered a big chunk of the boxing
viewership, and subsequently the bigger Pay-Per-View dollars, and
sponsorship money.
The so-called "experts" will try to determine the reasons why this trend
has developed, as well as its cause and effect.
Bottom line is this is Boxing is here to stay and will always be here.
MMA has taken the smart business approach; more regulation, stricter
guidelines and a respectful attitude for what it sees as most important
- their fans!
MMA fans know that they can expect to see matches were more often than
not the better man - that night - will win the fight, and at no time
will a referee or judge have a wrongful impact in the outcome of a bout.
At no time would you ever see the disgraceful conduct witnessed in
Colombia allowed to happen, and continue to persist, during an MMA
fightcard, or the actions of a bungling referee like Genaro Rodriguez
being tolerated, and most important - worthy fighters than Kendall Holt
would not be denied their championships.
Kendall Holt has now since traveled back home, with a loss instead of a
title belt.
The World Boxing Organization and its President, Francisco Valcarel,
Esq., now has the opportunity, as well as the obligation, to do what is
proper in regards to this debacle.
Time will tell if their business approach and respect for the boxing fan
is paramount in their overall decision. Let's hope so - then we can look
forward to Ricardo Torres-Kendall Holt ll.
This time the fight won't be held in Colombia and referee Genaro
Rodriguez will not be allowed anywhere near the arena, let alone the
inside of a boxing ring.
Mike Indri
RBFNJMIKE@aol.com
Original date of story: September 15, 2007 |
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