I appreciate that this is probably one of those “too much information” comments, but as usual I woke up at 4.30 am for my usual bathroom visit. This is not something that has arisen – actually, that’s probably not the right word – as I close in on old age – it’s been a lifetime nocturnal issue with me. This time things were a little different. My bladder had acted as an alarm clock for a boxing match that was live on BBC Radio Five Live.
The fight concerned featured Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in what was billed “The Fight Of The Century”. I switched on my bedside radio in my usual bleary-eyed state and there was Mike Costello, the best boxing commentator of them all, discussing the fight prospects with the squealing tones of Steve ‘Big Daddy’ Bunce. They certainly did a good job selling this fight, not that they needed to sell it since the radio coverage was free whereas Rupert Murdoch’s visual offering was a whopping (or should that be Wapping?) £20. Although I almost always find it hard to resume deep sleep once my sleep has been disturbed, I made a very quick decision regarding “The Fight Of The Century”. I simply couldn’t be bothered to listen.
Now I like to watch a professional boxing match as much as anyone (apart from the genuine connoisseurs and fight fans). I will always watch a fight from my armchair, provided it comes within my Rupert Murdoch subscription or on terrestrial TV. In fact, in the days of Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank and Michael Watson, I would spend many a Saturday night watching them in action. It was great fun watching Benn knocking someone out and Eubank scraping by with yet another disputed points victory.
I am not immune to the dangers of boxing, though. Most of the great champions from Ali, Frazier, Hearns, Holyfield, Watson and many, many others here horribly damaged by a sport in which the main aim, lest we forget, is to render the opponent unconscious. Getting hit on the head is not good for you. When I watch, I have to put my concerns to one side. Serious injuries rarely happen, I convince myself. Well, actually they do, albeit in an accumulative way.
But back to the point. I have never seen Mayweather of Pacquiao fight. Almost all of their big fights are on Pay Per View (PPV) and, as a matter of principle, I will not pay Murdoch a fixed fee when I already pay him a small fortune every month. (Of course, my principles do not yet extend to not paying Murdoch anything at all, so I accept a charge of hypocrisy here.) I know a bit about them, but not very much and the hype did nothing to persuade me to part with extra cash to watch a boxing match that started at around dawn, our time.
Mayweather and Pacquiao have not transcended their sport, as the likes of Ali did to become world superstars. Boxing fans know all about them, of course, but their brilliance, greatness perhaps, has not penetrated the public psyche. But lesser fighters, like the ones I named above, did become and remain household names because they were accessible to the public.
The satellite and cable TV revolution has changed sport forever. The shared experience of a major sporting event is disappearing from our society. There are so many sports channels, albeit mostly owned by guess who, that people will choose what they like to watch. Even when there is a boxing card on one channel, there will be golf, football, rugby and various other sports on the others. Watching sport on telly is becoming a personal experience.
Conveniently, I now read, Mayweather won on points but Pacquiao claimed he had a shoulder injury that stopped him being able to punch properly. And it was Mayweather’s 48th win on the trot. Only a cynic would suggest that Mayweather would have an “easy” defence for his 49th win and then “The Fight Of The Century 2” and his 50th potential win will be announced! But then, a cynic is what an optimist calls a realist! We’re all cynics today.
So save your twenty quids, guys, because you know what’s coming. Doubtless, the rematch will be a titanic points decision and we all know what happens next.
1 comment
It was a very predictable fight with Mayweather fighting a defensive game and Pacquiao judt not able to penetrate that. The referee ( Mayweather’s choice btw) did not allow any inside fighting and so made it all the easier for his man.
We have a group of us that go to local pro and amateur fights, the consensus was that the rematch was what was going to happen and even before a punch was thrown !
Rick, I could tell you about the corruption just here in Bristol, many wouldn’t believe how rotten the sport is.
The biggest losers, are those at grassroots. They can only dream of getting a pay day that allows them to not have to do a normal job and box.
I remember being woken by my Dad, to watch the Ali fights and the big fights that used to be on terrestrial TV and I wonder how it all went so wrong ?
Boxing has always had its fair share of mob money, betting scandals and guys ready to take a fall but this time it’s the viewers who are being mugged.
As a big boxing fan, I feel very sad and conflicted by it all now & am on the verge of thinking of packing it all in.
It’s a travesty what has happened. It shames the boxers and puts many off.
I feel very sorry for the young boxers who have just gone pro. Many dreams will turn to nightmares and good men will grow bitter.
Have to say though, Hearns is not damaged. I think when Nick met him, he either met him at a bad time or misrepresented his Southern American accent. I had time to talk with him at length and found a man who has wit, dry humour and seemed very well to me.
Such a shame that Boxing is so badly corrupted. If only we could do a fresh reinstall, as we do on a computer hard drive eh
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