Shades of Willie Classen: Bryant Pappas versus Andrew Hartley, Worst U.S.A. Sanctioned Fight of The Year, Should Be Stopped By State Athletic Commissioners for Safety’s Sake
Editorial By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
New York, NY (March 26th, 2014)–On either Friday, March 28, 2015, in West Virginia, or on Monday, March 31, 2014, in the District of Columbia, a six round fight is tentatively scheduled to take place (which appears without stating the opponent yet on BoxRec). If Bryant Pappas versus Andrew Hartley does take place, in my professional view as boxing journalist it should not be allowed.Pappas made his career not fighting the significant fight, and has drawn and lost more recently against mediocre opposition in New York. This bout is the worst match ever if takes place. The only solution is if Pappas fights somebody else. According to Hartley, however, he’s definitely the opponent fighting Pappas this weekend. Hartley’s claim, if true, brings serious cause for rational concern to prevent the bout from taking place.
Pappas, 13-1 with 13 knockouts, Yonkers, New York, who is 41 years old and has not been in the ring in two years, intends to put his padded record on the line 2-22 ‘challenger’ Andrew Hartley of Fort Smith, Arkansas, who has been knocked out 21 times in 23 bouts. Hartley has been knocked out in the first round 13 times, including six of his last seven bouts. Hartley will have lost his tenth bout in a row if he conveniently loses to Pappas, in all likelihood in the first round again. Truth is Hartley should never be seen outside of his native Arkansas, though, sadly, none of his teeth will ever be seen again. Hartley might wind up deader than Greg Page if unscrupulous boxing commissions let him fight again.
Pappas, who made such an issue in recent memory about the need for proper boxing gloves, better ring safety, had criticized the role of inspectors and so on, could do enough damage to serious injure Andrew Hartley or worse he could put him in his grave. The reason is because Andrew Hartley puts on boxing gloves but does not know what he is doing. It’s hard sometimes to make sense of the senseless match up, which is what this is. When a serious fighter fights a tomato can, you get worse than tomato soup. It gets bloody.
State Athletic Commissioners of America, arise! Stop Bryant Pappas versus Andrew Hartley, and please stop similar matches like this before somebody really gets hurt. Let this editorial, and the Pappas versus Hartley match be a conspicuous warning: there’s no right way for a boxing commission to do the wrong thing. No person in their right mind would approve this bout, but then again not everybody chooses to listen to ABC Boxing.
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