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02/09/2006 Archived Entry: "Watching Boxing Live—There’s Nothing Like It!"
Watching Boxing Live—There’s Nothing Like It!
By Juan C. Ayllon
NEW YORK CITY - The first time I saw boxing live and in person was at Madison Square Garden’s Felt Forum on August 9, 1986. That night, before a somewhat cynical New York crowd, a young Pernell Whitaker thoroughly outclassed one Rafael Gandarilla, light heavyweight Chris Reid knocked out perennial contender Marcos Geraldo in four, and future WBA Super Middleweight Champ Chistophe Tiozzo stopped grizzled Wesley Reid in four rounds. In between fights, I chatted with up-and-coming Vinny Pazienza and Michael Olajide, who would later go onto greater acclaim. Watching close up and in person, I had a greater appreciation for the sport than I previously experienced watching TV bouts.
It was an altogether more visceral experience—you could almost feel the punches smacking sweaty flesh just feet away. Blood, sweat, and abrasions, which often escape detection under the harsh television lights, were there to be seen plain as day. And the feel for the volatile crowd, one moment silent, the next erupting in screams and cheers, was inescapable, as was an eminent sense of danger when my buddy harassed “Macho” Hector Camacho—who had to be walking around at a muscular 178 or so—as he approached the ring for nearly getting knocked out by one Edwin Rosario several months ago and escaping with a controversial draw.
It was the difference between watching a baseball game on television at home and taking in a lively Cubs playoff game at a raucous Wrigley Field. Or, it was the difference between chatting online with a girl from home and actually sitting next to her at a live jazz club, horns blaring, and catching a whiff of her perfume and hair as she presses in closely, softly, to whisper something in your ear. The difference was that palpable.
Fast forward to December 10, 2004 at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom. If a Boeing 747 gunned its engines at ringside, it could not have compared to the guttural roar of the packed crowd, delirious over contender David Diaz’ electrifying stoppage win over dangerous puncher Jaime Rangel. It was as if the whole of Chicago gathered under one roof and bellowed, “This is our beloved son in whom we are proud! Let us rejoice and be glad!” And party at the top of our lungs for five raucous minutes.
Visibly moved, a beaming Diaz appeared “reborn” as he signed everything from T-shirts, programs, and scraps of paper before being enveloped and carried away by a legion of swarming fans.
Witnessing the ceaseless savagery of Tomasz Adamek edging Paul Briggs for the WBC Light Heavyweight Title and, later, WBO Heavyweight Champion Lamon Brewster dismantle Andrew Golota in one round from the ground floor as the boos, cheers and screams of some 20,000 fans thundered overhead and echoed in the cavernous United Center in May of 2005 was a memory for the ages.
Or take January 6, 2006 at Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois where local Puerto Rican favorite “Macho” Miguel Hernandez came close to stopping Minnesota State Champ Butch Hajicek, bruising him badly in winning an inspired unanimous decision, while undefeated Joel Julio bludgeoned WBC Continental Americas Light Middleweight Champ Robert Kamya to the canvas in the main event for a stunning third round knockout.
Live television did not cover these Diaz, Adamek’s or Hernandez’ thrilling bouts, nor could it truly capture the sense of space, footwork, and ambiance that being there in person could, any more than listening with headphones to an Ipod can approximate experiencing a Rolling Stones concert live and in person.
Granted, there’s times when it’s simply inconvenient or unfeasible to attend a live show. Most people’s budgets and commitments don’t allow for a trip to Las Vegas or elsewhere every time there’s a championship bout. That’s where television comes in handy.
However, it has been my experience that, given the choice between watching a Pay-Per-View event or a fight card in person, the latter is usually the far better experience. It’s the difference between watching an expensive, star-studded New Year’s Eve event on television and actually getting dressed up and going to a local New Year’s Eve party.
A visiting friend of mine in ministry who was not a particular fan of boxing opted last summer to attend an Eight Count Productions show. Afterwards, it was as if he’d never seen boxing before in his life! An Evangelist by profession, for several weeks, he couldn’t stop talking about what an experience he had actually meeting the fighters and seeing boxing in person.
Bottom line, there’s no comparison to actually being there.
