Some Matchups for Top Heavyweights Becoming More and More of a Joke
Editorial By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Correspondent
Many top heavyweights have managers and promoters which can move them, in advance of the big money fights. The art of the heavyweight tune up be told, many of these matchups really stink. The abilities of the fighters be told, the better fighters, who tend at times to be overly protected, wind up fighting the bottom of the barrel, which takes the paycheck for some cheese change.
This past weekend was no exception.
In Hamburg, Germany, Dereck Chisora stopped Hungarian journeyman Peter Erdos in five rounds, whose only win in his last ten bouts was over a debut. Also in Hamburg, Kubrat Pulev stopped washed up American Maurice Harris in the first round, the second consecutive time Harris has been stopped in the first round. Hughie Fury stopped Larry Olubamiwo in the first round, whose only win in his last 19 bouts was a disqualification.
In Spreitenbach, Switzerland, Arnold Gjergjaj stopped Croatian journeyman Mariano Goles in the first round. New Zealand’s Joseph Parker stopped Daniel Martz in the first round. Pablo Magrini knocked out Julian Gonzalez in the second round in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for what was billed as the WPC South American Heavyweight title.
This reporter’s view is rotten heavyweight matchups benefit nobody, and in reality can cause serious danger and ultimate harm to the paycheck fighters who take these type bouts last minute and get zonked in the name of some Christmas money for their bank account.
There is no excuse for athletic commissions anywhere approving these type of uneven matchups. Responsible referees will not allow this type of madness, but far too often they are forced to oversee these matchup farces.
Even under the best of circumstances, as Daniel Jacobs versus Peter Quillin at Barclays Center revealed, a fighter’s life can be in danger quickly, even in the first round of a world title, regardless of the training camps and the circumstances of the bout. Safety in athletics, amateur or professional, must always be the top priority. Bad matchups put the referee and the ringside officials in a bad position. They should be the exception rather than the rule, but in places where the ‘protect the fighter syndrome’ still exists, bad matchups will go on ad infinitum even when the journeymen get hurt.
One has only to look at some of the fight results on BoxRec with X-ray vision to see through the ongoing madness, and apply a rational explanation for which matchups should be allowed, and which matchups should not. For what good are rules to protect fighters and athletes if the matchups are irresponsible? Answer: absolutely nothing. I have seen mismatches in every state and jurisdiction where I have covered bouts. In that, New York and New Jersey have been better of recent in preventing bad matchups and enforcing the importance of fighters having their medicals clear to the satisfaction of the commission. Sadly, this is not usually the case all over the world, but perhaps one day it will be standard for professional boxing.
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