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07/09/2005 Archived Entry: "Augustus Closes the Book on Oliveira"
Augustus Closes the Book on Oliveira
By J. D. Vena at ringside
Hampton Beach, NH – Even the most legendary of boxers, the caliber of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Roy Jones, Jr., don’t exit the sport of boxing as one would hope or imagine. Everyone remembers the worn and despondent look on the face of Ali as his trustee cornerman, Angelo Dundee halted Ali’s unsuccessful efforts against Larry Holmes. More recently, no one will forget the immortal Roy Jones, Jr. laying motionless on the canvas for several minutes with Glen Johnson standing over him. That’s why it wasn’t hard to fathom a similar or even worse fate of longtime contender, “Sucra” Ray Oliveira of New Bedford, MA, who after nearly absorbing half of Emmanuel “Ya”Augustus’ crisp and well placed punches, was halted at the mercy of referee Steve Smoger after eight punishing rounds.
The utterly dominant victory by Augustus should have vanquished Oliveira, now 47-11-2 with 22 KO’s, from not only the rankings but the sport of boxing. Fortunately, the punishment absorbed by Augustus didn’t send Oliveira to an untimely doom. During the 8th round of a scheduled 10-round main event at the Hampton Beach Casino in an event televised by ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights, Augustus landed two right hands, the second of which landed almost behind Oliveira’s left ear. Immediately, Oliveira’s fighting instincts went into survival mode. He clutched the right side of his neck and head while turning his back.
The concerned Smoger eagerly went to Oliveira’s aid and asked him if he was okay. But Oliveira’s fighting conscience answered the referee’s query, an answer that didn’t sound very satisfying. After Smoger allowed the two to resume the action, Oliveira bravely tore into Augustus. At that point Augustus, who later admitted he too was concerned with Oliveira’s safety, took a break from hitting his drained opponent with every punch in the book, a repertoire that included a double punch which landed in the 6th round. Augustus fended in a neutral corner while Oliveira fired lefts, clutching the back of his head with his right glove. The sheer pain on Oliveira’s face could be seen from 100 feet, where the CBZ had been observing.
Uneasy but convinced of Oliveira’s hurtful state, Smoger stopped the fight moments after Oliveira sat on his stool while doctors and cornermen began examining him. Within a few minutes after walking across the ring to congratulate his conqueror, Oliveira was sprawled across the canvas, something none of his previous opponents or close followers could have ever imagined. The real scare for the 36-year old boxer began as he convulsed on the canvas with an oxygen mask on his face and it was said that he was complaining of a loss of feeling in his arms.
According to his faithful promoter Jimmy Burchfield, Oliveira was treated at Exeter Hospital in Portsmouth, NH, where he was diagnosed with a pinched nerve in his neck. He was released this morning and is understandably resting.
“We were very nervous,” said Burchfield. “(Oliveira) had to lose 40 pounds in a month, but could only lose 35 (to make 150 pounds). The contract was for 144 pounds but he needed the money so much that and gave up half of his ($8,000) purse just let the fight happen. I’m just relieved that this wasn’t more serious than what it was.”
Augustus, now 31-24-6 with 16 KO’s, perhaps the greatest boxer of all time for a fighter with a boxer at or around a .500 winning percentage, was also thankful.
“I knew something was wrong which is why I stopped fighting. I just knew it was a matter of time until the referee was going to stop it so I just went on defense,” said Augustus. “I ain’t no killer. I wouldn't want this on my conscience. That’s why I never joined the army.”
A boxer’s legacy is always on the line when they continue to fight at an advanced age, a time when their skills and reflexes dim and their will to fight is only carried by the need for money. Tragically and more importantly, it’s the well being of the boxer that takes the most damage. Here’s hoping that the proud and accomplished Oliveira, who has always left everything in the ring, exits the not-so-sweet science, with his health and enough faculties to earn his way without having to risk his life as he has each and every time he’s laced on the gloves. At this point in his career, the risk of earning a portion of a meaningless $8,000 purse, let alone one with a few more O’s at the end of one just isn’t worth the price. The sight and plight is just too tragic to behold.
