Brizel Editorial with Ivana Habazin Reply: Flint War of the Words Caused Tragedy
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
In this reporter’s view, boxing and professional sports in the state of Michigan are an all-time low. The state of Michigan, the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission, Dort Federal Event Center, in Flint and the event promoter, as well as the Shields camp have all subjected themselves to civil liability. The person who committed the brutal assault faces criminal prosecution. The big question is ethnically diverse areas like Detroit and Flint has always been safety. The long-term ramifications of the incident are undetermined.
From a reporter’s standpoint, professionalism mandates the fisticuffs should be kept inside the ring, and not allowed to escalate out of control outside the ring, both before and after the event. A suspect has been taken into custody in Flint, Michigan after the brutal lobby sucker punch knockout assault of world-renowned boxing trainer James Ali Bashir after the weigh-in event for the Claressa Shields versus Ivana Habazin titular unification bout which was on Friday October 4, 2019, scheduled for Saturday evening, October 5, 2019 at the Dort Federal Event Center in Flint, which did not take pace after suddenly cornerless Habazin pulled out due to the incident. The Dmitriy Salita Promotions Showtime-televised show’s seven bout undercard took place-without its schedules Shields-Habazin main event.
Shields taunted Habazin during the pre-fight press conference at the weigh-in, which led to an inflammation of hostilities between the Shields and Habazin camps. What was Shields thinking? If you start a fire and then fan the flames, the fill eventually get of control. That is exactly what happened, and Shields instigated it. Words were eventually exchanged between James Bashir Ali, Habazin’s trainer, Shields’ sister, and an unidentified man in the Shields entourage. The Shields-Habazin main event title bout then got canceled after Habazin’s trainer, James Bashir Ali, was brutally sucker-punched in the arena lobby after the weigh-in while departing the arena. He fell hard to the concrete floor, knocked out unconscious face first in blood, and suffered multiple facial fractures. Bashir required emergency surgery for injuries to his face, and was transferred from a Flint Hospital to Henry Ford Hospital for that. His long-term prognosis is unknown. Habazin, seen kneeling over her trainer in grief, could not fight as a result.
Shields, 9-0 with two knockouts, Flint, Michigan, currently holds the World Boxing Association, World boxing council International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization Female World Middleweight titles, as well as the WBC Diamond Female Middleweight title belt. Habazin, 20-3 with seven knockouts, Zagreb, Croatia, currently holds the International Boxing Organization Female World Middleweight title. Besides titular unification, this was to be Shields’ first pro bout in her hometown of Flint, and Habazin’s debut on American soil.
Bashir is well known in the boxing world, having trained under trainer Emanuel Steward for close to two decades. The New Jersey native has trained many world-class boxers, including heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, Monte Barrett, Shannon Briggs and Jameel McCline. Bashir was currently working with Croatian IBO female world champion Habazin, and was in Flint to work her corner when the tragedy occurred pre-fight.
Shields now asks people to join her in praying for Ali — who underwent emergency surgery Friday night in the Detroit area — as well as for Habazin and their families. This reporter is not amused by Shields’ about-face. She is not taking responsibility for the verbal taunting for antagonistically gave at the weigh-in of what she would due to Habazin. Bashir may not have been the verbal taunt, but he was seated listening to it, and the verbal war of the words escalated into a near confrontation. That is not to say this happens at all pre-fight weigh-ins, but it does happen at some of them.
According to Shields written response, “My heart is with coach Ali, a coach who has given his heart to this sport and to so many fighters over a long career. My heart is with Ivana Habazin, whose courage, discipline and heart were evident in the way she trained for this day and traveled a long distance to realize my dream of fighting in my hometown of Flint. My heart is with my city of Flint, a city desperately in need of some good news, (and still) desperately in need of a moment of relief from the everyday chaos and trauma of living with poverty and violence. My heart is with the team at Showtime and the hundreds of people who invested in my dream and stood behind me when I desired to give back to my hometown. What happened yesterday is inexcusable and unbearable. It should not have happened. And as much as I want to wake up from this nightmare, this is what we all are facing today. This is the reality for my town of Flint, and in cities across the country, and around the world. We are all living with trauma.”
The World Boxing Council offered this statement on Twitter regarding the incident. “The World Boxing Council strongly condemns any act of violence in any event related to our sport (boxing), especially the horrible attack which took place in an official activity surrounding the (Claressa Shields-Ivana Habazin) event. The WBC will monitor the investigation and resolution of the (assault) case, and will then determine if an actionable WBC violation of any WBC rules, regulations and Code of Ethics took place.”
After Friday’s unfortunate incident, Habazin, who stills want to fight Shields, had a much different view of Shields than the pretty ‘after face’ Shields sudden wore. Habazin lashed out at Shields apology in direct reply, in a statement given to boxingscene.com.
“With deep regret, my trainer James Ali Bashir was punched in the back of his neck by someone in Shields entourage. Bashir was taken to a local hospital, and has now been moved to Henry Ford Hospital, because delicate facial reconstruction surgery must be performed. I want to say security was nowhere to be found (at the weigh-in and in the arena). Club shows are run better than this organization. Clarissa has a big mouth, and the people around her like Clarissa are always looking for trouble. Clarissa and her team are classless. During the pre-fight weigh-in, my coach wanted to look at Clarissa’s weight, and her sister and Bashir exchanged words. Her family and friends should have never been allowed on the stage. As we were leaving the area, someone from her camp attacked my coach and sucker-punched him. Bashir hit the floor face first, and was bleeding and unconscious. The attacker quickly ran out of the building. Right now, it’s about 10 P.M., and I’m in still in the hospital. My immediate concern is to look after the well-being of my coach. I think most people with a heart would do the same. We have been receiving threats, and people are saying I am scared to fight because Clarissa is going to beat my ass. We don’t feel safe here. To Clarissa, I have this message for you. You can run your filthy mouth all you want. When my trainer recovers, it will be just you and me in the ring! I want to see how tough you are when the thugs you hang out with aren’t there to help you. You’re going to find out just how scared I am of a classless fighter like you. Our day will come, Clarissa!”
This reporter hopes Ivana Habazin, the IBO Female world Middleweight champion, fights Shields one day soon, and settles the argument over who is the better fighter-with boxing inside the ring, and not with words or violence outside the ring. Set the example for others to follow. If boxing is supposed to be a good thing for the participants who practice the art, bloody Friday in Flint, Michigan, was a dark day in Michigan boxing history to be forgotten.
COMMENTS
English