Whatever became of HBO, the network of champions, which broadcast most of the pivotal fights of the 1980s? Does not HBO have the $$$ clout to make a decent, competitive, big $ Roy Jones fight happen? Why are they acquiescing in bullshit like the "live panel discussion" with Farhood, Paige and Borges (who should be ashamed of themselves for taking part) lobbing scripted softball questions ("Will I be taking the 11:45 train or the 12:45 home tonight?") at a glib Jones who used the occasion to spout a bunch of b.s. platitudes. He was allowed to slip out of questions about his lack of competition and his basketball clowning with nary a challenge. Why does HBO resort to this circus crap and why do we put up with it?
Oh, yeah. The fights. This was my first chance to see Ike Quartey and he definitely WAS a destroyer. His jab had awesome bust-up power, he seemed impervious to pain and his hooks were, until late, crisp and direct. How do you hurt a guy like that? With a howitzer? My sincere congratulation to Oba Carr, a guy some people have written off as being on the downside since his "win" over Livingstone Bramble, but who proved he still has a lot of heart, skill and stones. It was truly a championship effort against a guy who simply had too many tools to be taken.
Quartey vs. Tito or Oscar is a fight that needs to be made right away. On the basis of his last fight, I don't think Whittaker lasts 10 with IQ even though Ike seemed to tire in rounds 10-12, put his guard down and show vulnerability. Is he one of those fighters who loses interest if he doesn't ko you quickly? We probably won't find out in a match against Trinidad or ODLH, two fighter who have shown tender jaws in their early fights...
What can you say about the Jones thing, other than that HBO spoke volumes by not even listing Brannon's name on the fight poster. How could the IBF make this guy a #1 contender? He had bullets lodged in his body fer chrissakes! How does he get cleared to fight a Roy Jones? To his credit, he wasn't scared (at least not until Jones started hitting him midway through the 1st) and his bullrush at least made this brief four-minute wonder somewhat interesting.
ROY JONES! FIGHT SOMEBODY WITH A CLUE! YOU HAVE TAXED OUR PATIENCE LONG ENOUGH WITH YOUR SOFT TOUCHES AND YOUR SHENANIGANS. NO FIGHTER EVER EARNED THE LB-FOR-LB RANKING BY BEATING ANTOINE BYRD, OR ERIC LUCAS OR BRYANT BRANNON. EVEN SWEET PEA OUTDUELLED CHAVEZ! YOU ARE AN EXCELLENT TOP-TEN LB FOR LB FIGHTER WHO WILL GROW SOFT ON MISMATCHES! DO THE NECESSARY TO MAKE A DECENT MATCH NOW BEFORE YOUR FANS GET TERMINALLY BORED WITH YOUR "EXHIBITIONS!"
Glad I got that off my chest. Is it only a rumor that he plans to fight Christy Martn while walking on his hands and wearing gloves on his feet?
All too typical of 90's televised boxing...a decent title match sandwiched between two farces. We can do better.
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