Late night thoughts on boxing... Congratulations to both David Haye and Wladimir Klitschko for what looks pretty certain to be a done deal. It's a bit of a late picking and would probably have been best served in place of the whole Audley Harrison debacle that was last year. However, this is the most exciting, most eagerly anticipated fight in the heavyweight division there is. Probably the second most anticipated fight in boxing. So for them both to actually get it on in their peaks, in todays climate is a huge success for boxing. There is an excitement in this fight that I have been missing for the vast majority of the last 12 months. Admittedly being a Brit and a David Haye fan there is vested interest in this fight. But regardless of where you are from, and who you watch, this is the type of event boxing needs. It's tragic that such a mere event as the two top ranked fighters (Vitali excluded as he will never fight Wladimir) getting it on is such a rarity that we should celebrate it. But while boxing is being milked from every nipple it has by those "promoting" and distributing the sport, what else can be expected. It creates an enviroment where fighting the right fight for the sport is almost always the least sensible choice to make, in addition making it an easy one to avoid. Thats why I think efforts like the super six, the fighters that turn up and loose to fighters against whom they are evenly matched, regardless of the risk, should always be celebrated. Particularly when they are at the top of their game. The Juan Manuel Marquez's, the Carl Froch's, the Miguel Cotto's and the Sergio Martinez's of this world. They give their guts to boxing, they get back a lot but they have pride in what they do and they don't shy away from putting themselves in that risky position that makes for excitement. Of course the most anticipated fight, and the one that is holding boxing to ransom most is the deadweight of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. I blame both for their innability to have solved this riddle by now. There is no single reason worthy enough for this fight not to have been watched yet. There is no single person to who'm the blame can solely lie. Neither has outrageous requests, both are incredibly talented and succesful, everyone wants to experience the landmark fight of this decade. But boxing allows this to remain unresolved. Through poor management, petty promoters serving only themselves, rudderless organizations and lack of genuine interest in anything but immediate and future revenue from those in power to stage such an event, this opportunity is being missed. There is no other sport worthy of my attention that allows such self-selection in matchmaking. In every other sport you are allocated your opponent and never is there a shortage of flagship events. There is no way to free boxing from this however. Those carrying the reins are sitting very high on their horses and have too tight a grip for anything feasible to change any time soon. It's for this reason I would just like to congratulate those that do take part in the sport, without trying to take from it everything in return for the minimum of input. So Showtime, despite the many problems the super six has had, I congratulate you. Messers Haye and Klitschko, I congratulate you. And all the others that fight for the love of the sport over the pay-cheque I congratulate you too. You are all that keeps the spirit of the sport alive. Heres hoping for an exciting fight on the 2nd. I have spent enough money and will be travelling far enough to get their, but I'm sure it won't be a single penny (or cent) miss-spent!
