The Square Ring

by Howie Reed, THE PATTAYA MAIL

The most honorable Jeeves, manservant to the Lord of the Manor, has been notified that many new readers of TSR are unfamiliar with the cast of non-boxing characters that appear each week. A point well taken.

His Lordship, or Lord of the Manor, is of course the no-talent individual masquerading as a boxing writer and self proclaimed “icon” whose name appears at the top of the page. No not “Friday July, 11, 2008,” but the proper name.

Sir Frog in real life is restaurateur Patrick, of Patrick’s Belgian Restaurant on Pattaya Road 2 at Moo 10. He’s a retired professional box fighter, ski diver and belongs to the Hash House Harriers, which should explain everything you need to know.

Being a sky diver, and almost French, the terribly clever folks of the HHH named him the Flying Frog. He became Sir Frog after he explained to The Lord of the Manor that anyone with the number of professional fights he had deserved to be called ‘Sir’. When that was agreed upon Sir Frog removed his frog legs from around the breathing area of the Lord of the Manor.

Croaking from the Pond

“What a performance by Manny Pacquiao,” opined Sir Frog last week. “I’ve never seen him boxing that good! Quick and good movement, a good game plan, therefore Freddy Roach is one of the best trainers in the world. Diaz was strong but took a big beating. He couldn’t follow the speed from Manny, as he told the press after: ‘Did you get the numberplate from the truck that hit me?’

“What’s gonna be next for Manny? De La Hoya or Hatton? Maybe ‘Runaway’ Floyd Mayweather comes out of retirement again?”

Well one report has Pacquiao fighting Humberto Soto in December, probably in Las Vegas. Soto was DQ’d against Francisco Lorenzo in a supporting fight on the Pacquiao card.

Sir Frog croaks again: “Soto-Lorenzo was a big joke. Soto beating Lorenzo for 4 rounds and suddenly Lorenzo takes a knee while getting a combination from Soto. Soto in the combination hit him lightly on the back of the head; Lorenzo falls down crying and gets the win by disqualification. Booooh, the crowd was right, what’s going on there with the WBC judges and leaders?”

Not really fair, but understandable, for boxing fans to blame the WBC and or especially the judges. They had nothing to do with the DQ. The blame should go, rightly, to referee Joe Cortez, aided and abetted by Nevada Executive Director “King” Keith Kizer.

Back in the day, sanctioning organizations (IBF, WBO, WBC, WBA) worked with local commissions on the appointment of judges and referees for world title fights. It’s no secret in boxing that the Nevada Commission under King Kizer has decided that they don’t have to continue the practice that worked so well.

Since the beginning of “King” Kizer’s reign, Nevada has become a joke in regard to “good judging” and sources inside a number of boxing organizations have informed TSR about their displeasure with the Nevada Commission.

This particular commission doesn’t allow anyone to referee a fight that doesn’t live in Nevada. Hard to argue with that rule as at one time Nevada’s referees were among the best in the world. They probably still are. But this is not the first time that Cortez has come under fire for his mishandling of a fight: Holyfield-Ruiz II comes to mind. Soto called Cortez a racist and claimed he allowed Lorenzo to hit him with illegal blows “while disqualifying a clean fighter” like himself, according to fightnews.com.

Even though the bout was for the WBC 130lb belt, the WBC wisely withheld the recognition of Lorenzo as champion. There are not many things that are sure in boxing but you can bet your bottom dollar that Joe Cortez was the referee for this WBC title fight, in spite of, and not because of the WBC.

WBC President, Dr. Jose Suliaman said, “After watching the instant replay, I believe that there is no one in the world not thinking that a disqualification was one of the greatest mistakes ever in boxing.” Amen brother.

You’re kidding right?

On the other hand Yahoo.com’s boxing writer, Kevin Iole, makes the case that “poor old Francisco Lorenzo” is being unfairly treated by the WBC even though making the case that Lorenzo lost. Iole, by the by, is a former Las Vegas daily newspaper boxing and golf writer.

“Francisco Lorenzo’s actions at the end of his fight with Humberto Soto were cowardly, revolting and disgusting. He did the one thing he was required to do to claim the interim WBC super featherweight title. He won. The WBC, though, opted to ignore the official verdict, however tainted it may be, and declared the title vacant,” said Iole.

He then makes the case that Soto never got the knockout as a “mistake by referee Joe Cortez started a bizarre sequence which resulted in Lorenzo feigning a head injury so as to win a fight he was about to lose.”

Way after the fact, “King” Keith, the Nevada Executive Director, said, “It was definitely a mistake and Joe acknowledges that.” Well actually your “Kingship,” Joe didn’t say anything until two weeks after the fight.

Iole continues, “It’s galling to have to give a guy a belt who was so thoroughly outclassed and who disgraced himself and his sport by behaving like he did. But the rules are the rules and they can’t only be applied when it’s convenient.”

Fine, except for the fact that the “punch” that was landed by Soto was not intentional, as the rules state it must be for a DQ: a fact that Iole fails to consider or mention.

Kudos’ to promoter Bob Arum who said, “Are you out of your mind?” talking to Iole. “Of course they (WBC) shouldn’t have given him the belt. He didn’t win that fight and it would be a disgrace to give him the belt. It’s ludicrous, absolutely ludicrous, to say otherwise.”

Iole answered, “Of course, it’s not ludicrous. Upholding an official’s judgment call is a fundamental truth in sports.”

Not even close. A “fundamental truth in sports” is getting it right, that’s why there’s instant replay. The WBC got it right and the Nevada Commission is playing CYA’s. Iole does make a great point however when he asks, “You just wonder if the Mexican-based WBC would have made the same ruling had it been Soto, a native of Mexico, who had been fouled and won by disqualification, and not Lorenzo, a Dominican.”

Great question for future generations.

Last week in Boxing

(Las Vegas) Torres-Holt
Ricardo Torres (32-1) vs. Kendall Holt (23-2) met on September 1 of last year for the WBO jr. welter title. The fight, held in Colombia, was a classic where the hometown guy and fans wrecked havoc on the ‘tourista’. A check of the gray matter seem to bring back a memory of referee Genaro Rodriguez, who wasn’t good enough to be terrible or had put a bet on Torres.

Holt lost by an 11th round KO after being assaulted by various flying objects including a full beer. Imagine tossing a full beer away? Sacrilegious.

Holt recalls that he was hit in the face by a full beer can someone from the audience hurled into the ring after he had knocked down Torres in round six. For Torres’ part he has a different view. “I don’t remember the first fight being controversial at all,” he said.

Holy Cow! What a rematch took place Saturday, July 5, 2008 in Las Vegas. No controversy this time. Johnny B wrote: “Hagler-Hearns gave way to Holt-Torres on Saturday as fireworks arrived a day late in Las Vegas. In one of the most dramatic and explosive opening rounds and rematches in recent memory, Kendall ‘Rated R’ Holt and Ricardo Torres combined to knock each other down three times in 61 seconds.”

It took only 34 seconds of the initial stanza for Holt to hit the deck twice. The first knockdown at 13 seconds came as the result of a right to the head. Holt bounced up but 21 seconds later referee Jay Nady was counting again and asking Holt, “Are you OK?” To which Holt answered in the affirmative.

“I never saw the first knockdown coming,” said Holt. “I looked away and was distracted. I saw the second knockdown coming, but I couldn’t do anything about it.”

“I had him,” said Torres afterwards. “He was in my hands.”

A statement which was correct until Holt landed a hellish overhand right that had Torres collapsing to the canvas in another world. Torres was out colder than a punter with no money … honey! Nady could have counted to 100 but Holt would still be the new WBO Junior Welterweight Champion. Torres said later, “I got careless.” One could say that.

(Oberhausen, Germany) Strum-Griffin

At the Oberhausen Arena, in Germany, Felix Sturm (29-2-1) was defending his WBA middleweight title against Randy Griffin (24-1-3).

These two met in October of ’07 where they battled to a flat-footed draw. “Flat-footed draw?” Each boxer won on 1 scorecard with the third card being a draw.

Not the case this time as Strum got the “attaboy” from all three judges (118-110, 116-113, 116-112) and so retains his title.

(Panama City) Cordoba-Arboleda
In Panama City, Ricardo “Maestrito” Cordoba (33-1-2) may have paved the way for a rematch with Poonsawat Kratimdaeng, who is the only man to beat him, after Cordoba got the decision over countryman Jose Arboleda for the right to an interim title shot.

When Cordoba met Poonsawat the first time for the interim WBA bantam title, Poonsawat won on a spilt decision. Cordoba now wants a rematch but not in Thailand.

“I am now looking forward to a rematch with Poonsawat but in Panama,” said Cordoba. “I was victimized by the judges in Thailand and there’s no way I am going back there!”

Strange to hear a tourist speak about being victimized in the ‘Land of Smiles.’ The judging in that fight could have been questioned but with little basis in fact. The “oriental judge” gave it to Poonsawat, the Latin judge to Cordoba and the Farang called it for Poonsawat. No problem.

And the chances of Poonsawat going to Panama to fight Panamanian Cordoba? Zero, Zip, Nada.

Must Do
It is an unwritten rule that if there is a heavyweight championship fight it must be mentioned in this column. In the case of Wladimir Klitschko (50-3) who defends against Tony Thompson (31-1) in Hamburg next Saturday, it’s to warn people not to watch.

Klitschko’s last out against Sultan Ibragimov was so bad that evens Klitschko’s trainer Manny Stewart lost interest. This outing against Thompson will probably be the same. Thompson has a little pop with 19 KO’s from 31 fights which means Klitschko will “kinda jab” while protecting his beautiful face from any punches. Sleep inducing.

Jeeves Jives
“Your Lordship, Sir Frog asks the following question: ‘Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym (35-1) stopped Jason Butar Butar (2-3). Typical Thailand to make your record nice and healthy. How can they allow that?’”

Well Jeeves, as you go about retrieving the chilled lager, preparing my cigar and arranging the musical entertainment, I can answer that in three words: “This is Thailand.”