Blinking at the Mirror

Blinking at the Mirror

By Jess E. Trail (Aug 10, 2007) Doghouse Boxing (Photo © Tom Casino/SHOWTIME)

There is primarily one thing that haunts boxing fans. We love our sport. We can’t get enough. But for anyone with half a conscience, the thing that makes us blink at our reflection in the mirror is the event of a ring fatality.

If we love our sport, we must love the fighters who engage in it. The recent war between Rafael Marquez and Israel Vasquez captures the essence of why we love it. Both men giving it their all, exercising all their skill, tactical abilities, heart and willpower.

I have to make a point and as I make it, I will crack my whiffle bat against my desk to get your attention. Only this time, when you look my way, startled, I am not wearing wax lips. Fans of Rafael Marquez: You know your man wanted to continue, but aside from the magnified rants of Al Bernstein, isn’t there a part of you that is glad it was stopped? His eyes were taking on an odd glaze. His bravery and willpower were the only thing still communicating to legs that were becoming under-boiled noodles.

I want ‘my’ fighters to be whole. I want them to have a life after boxing. Don’t you? In the case of fights that are stopped with the loser of the fight still on his feet, I also want them to be capable of protesting the stoppage. It’s a brutal game. It’s a man’s game. It’s a game of testosterone and pride and ego. We should never be surprised when a fighter protests the stoppage. Boxers are a rare breed. They typically do not acknowledge defeat while they are still standing. But we, with pizza and beer on our breath and after this fight in particular, a gleam in our eyes, should look at ourselves in the mirror before we rant too long about the stoppage.

Marquez was extremely vulnerable. He also reminds me strikingly of Erik Morales in how he reacts when hurt. If he is conscious, he will continue to try to take his opponent’s head off.

Can the stoppage be argued? Sure. And I’m not condoning those ridiculous stoppages that we see from time to time that are blatant. Aside from those instances, however, let’s save our most intense arguments for those fights that go on too long. The referee tells the fighters to protect themselves at all times – you know, use defense. Block punches. Don’t turn your head to the ref with your hands down, etc. But the referee is the one who must protect a fighter from his own bravery and determination. It’s a fine line, and like all fine lines it’s hard to nail it with precision. Let’s ease up a bit here, however. I’m not saying that we should throw on skirts and start acting like little pantywaists. I think that if we lean a bit more heavily toward the well-being of our heroes it will be easier to look at our guacamole splattered images in the mirror. Oh, and there is one more benefit – we’re going to get Marquez vs Vasquez III.