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01/27/2004 Archived Entry: "Scott Pemberton, The Blue Collar Fighter"
Scott Pemberton, The Blue Collar Fighter
By Tom Donelson
Scott Pemberton is one of those workmen that boxing depends upon. Whenever he fights, he puts on a good show. Pemberton is at the end of his career, a 37 year-old fighter who has toiled on many of undercards and picking up a few small paychecks here and there. As Pemberton told ESPN’s Teddy Atlas after his first fight with Omar Sheika, he just wanted to make enough money to help buy a house. Pemberton is like most fighters in that he will not become rich fighting and when his fight days are over, he better have gainful employment (If he does not have it already), for boxing will not answer his long-term financial need.
Forget the million dollar purses, most fighters are like Pemberton, looking for the one pay day that can lift them monetarily for a few brief moments.
Pemberton’s second fight with Omar Sheika was one of those classics that thrills boxing fans and does the sport proud. In their first fight, Pemberton went down at 1:17 of the second round and nearly saw the canvas at the end of the eleventh. He had to survive one of the more brutal final rounds before escaping with a split decision upset. The fight was close and the official scoring (111-116 and 114-113 twice) reflected what was actually seen. Sheika felt that he was the victim of a hometown decision and certainly Sheika and his fans could easily make the case that he indeed deserved the decision.
The second fight left off where the first one began as Pemberton and Sheika dispensed with the usual feeling out process and started to throw bombs. Pemberton, just as he had in the first fight, found himself on the canvas as Sheika’s power came through in the second round. Pemberton started the second round aggressively and bloodied Sheika nose but a Sheika right hand followed by a left hook left Pemberton scrambling for survival. Sheika, after knocking Pemberton down, went after the 37 year-old boxer. He was attempting to finish the fight right then and there, but like in their first fight, Pemberton not only survived, but also came back strong in the next round.
For the next three rounds, Pemberton started to take command of the fight but in the sixth round, Sheika nailed Pemberton with a right hand and began a series of combination as Pemberton sagged against the ropes. The referee declared Pemberton a victim of a technical knock down. After taking an eight count, Pemberton countered with effective combinations as the round concluded. Ironically, it was Pemberton who looked fresh and Sheika who was looking to survive.From this point, Pemberton took command of the fight and the ebb and flow that marked the first six rounds became less of an ebb and more of a flow as Pemberton’s straighter punches were hitting their mark more than Sheika’s wider punches.
At the start of the ninth round, Sheika went after Pemberton with one last gasp but as the round wore on, it was Pemberton who was the dominant fighter as Sheika was blocking Pemberton right hand with his head. As the ninth closed, Sheika wobbled back to his corner and Pemberton, the pro that he is, jumped on Sheika and knocked Sheika down. As Sheika got up, he was still on rubbery legs, as they would say. With nearly two minutes left, Pemberton had plenty of time as Sheika appeared disoriented and out on his feet. Pemberton finished the job with a knockdown and follow up combinations and the referee stopped the fight. Sheika could not continue.
After the fight, Pemberton showed his experience when he observed, “The way you beat a left hook is with a right hand because it usually gets there first. As they always say, the closest distance between two points is a straight line.” Pemberton understood that his punches were sharper and more accurate. The master boxer took advantage of Sheika’s wide punches and Sheika occasional offensive lull.
At the age of 37, Pemberton is not a championship contender but a good fighter. In many ways, he is similar to Micky Ward, a professional who entertains the crowd with his effort. Both of his fights with Omar Sheika were great fights that did sport proud. It is too bad that fighters like Pemberton don’t collect more of the take available in the boxing world. To think that Kirk Johnson may have earned more in one night in losing disgracefully to Vitali Klitschko than Pemberton has over his whole career is one of boxing’s great tragedies. Pemberton, as a fighter deserves better.
Replies: 1 Comment made on this article
Scott Pembertons two fights were extremely entertaining for anyone to watch.His display of gritty courage shows wonderful heart and it is the same brand of courage as Arturo Gatti.He actually is quite a good technician and yes he does suffer from weak chin but he is able to get up off the canvas and prevail.He does really deserve a shot at the big money. I want to see him get his home.
Posted by yadymekam@hotmail.com">yadymekam @ 01/27/2004 07:05 PM EST
