BOXING TODAY

Recommended Comedy.

2006-02-01T05:32:00.000-05:00

I like a laugh. Probably like you, I often need one. So the following is some of the latest comedy performances/DVDs I've seen and would highly recommend you to see if you have not already. In no particular order, look out for the following:

Dave Chappelle - "For What it's Worth."

I believe that Chappelle recorded this live stand-up routine in 2004, and though it's only an hour long, it is well worth having in your collection. I have seen some of his stand-up routines from earlier in his career, and without being too presumptious, I think that this routine really showcases Chappelle at his peak. Perhaps the fact that it was recorded after the second season of "Chappelle's Show" has something to do with it. His voice itself makes just general words he says that much more amusing. Chappelle squeezes a lot of great material in here including: being held hostage on a bus by a masturbating hobo, smoking weed with Native Indians, the Kobe Bryant trial, and the difference between Elizabeth Smart's abduction and the seven-year-old black girl who chewed her way to safety and had her crackhead abductors in jail within the hour. If you rent this out or buy it and like it, you need to check out at least the second season of "Chappelle's Show." I think that currently, Chappelle is struggling with some personal issues, perhaps a restructuring of his inner circle or dealing with the demands of fame since his conversion to Islam. I hope we see a full third season of his Comedy Central show, but as long as he's working live at least, I'll be watching.

Ricky Gervais - "Politics."

Being English, it is easier for me to appreciate the stylings of "The Office" creator than most people I have spoken to who have seen him Stateside. Of course, rather than appreciate the English original "Office," Americans needed a revamped version for themselves, which after watching, I can appreicate, but it's not a shade on the original despite the performances of "40-Year-Old Virgin" Steve Carell. Gervais' original live stand-up effort "Animals" is a classic, and "Politics" is not far off the mark. Whether it's Gervais' recounting of the greatest AIDS information pamphlet ever ("Why not cum in a piece of fruit?"), or the true story about the emergency room incident involving an anus and a bottle of ketchup with complimentary condom, this is all good stuff.

George Carlin - "Complaints and Grievances."

I saw the crotchety old bastard Carlin way before I saw the more PC version, in other words, the guy he was before he woke up and got pissed off. Therefore, The only material I can appreciate is his later work. This HBO special is a fine example of Carlin at his unapolagetic best. Anyone offended by religiously offensive material might find Carlin, a staunch aethiest, a bit overbearing. However, anyone willing to swing with it will enjoy his revamping of "The Ten Commandments," and also good fun is his, "List of people who oughta be killed!"

More Con, Less Tender.

2005-10-16T09:38:00.000-05:00

Though I was against the concept of the contender reality boxing series from the start, I watched the rematch special aired last night from the Staples Center in Los Angeles with an open mind. Trying to separate the fighters from the overall product, I concluded that at the very least, an event that attracted 15, 000 paid attendees, a good portion of new boxing converts and a potential television audience of millions could be nothing but good for boxing. However, predictably enough during the broadcast, all of the aforementioned benefits were squandered. It never ceases to amaze me that tens of thousands of people watching in some of the worst seats can concur with millions watching at home and agree on the winner of a fight, but the same task is beyond a panel of three judges scoring the fight from the best seats in the house. If form is anything to do with securing future assignments, Julie Lederman should not work a fight for a while. Lederman was not the only judge to swing and miss last night, but I believe she was the only arbiter to misjudge both the Bonsante-Brinkley pre-main event and the Mora-Manfredo, Jr. main event.

Bonsante entered the ring to erase the stoppage loss he suffered to Brinkley earlier this year and true to that ambition, he wore away at an out-of-shape Brinkley who fought in spurts early on, but overall, was clearly outworked by the busier and more accurate Bonsante. The cheers that accompanied Brinkley became a mere memory as Bonsante left the ring at the announcement of a truly disgusting decision. The jeers that rained down from the rafters of the Staples Center affirmed what the television cameras captured on Brinkley’s pained and disappointed expression at the bout’s conclusion. Perhaps the arena attendance truly was 15, 000 fans, as for the first time, a post-fight interview was booed out of existence and Brinkley was pictured in the backstage area ranting at the crowd’s damning of him. Bonsante reappeared to rapturous applause from the crowd, and though a happy ending eluded him this night, series creator Mark Burnett endorsed the consensus opinion flowing through the crowd; but then, he would. Closer to the heart of the matter, Bonsante faced up to Sylvester Stallone at ringside who offered token consolation with a simple, “You’re right, you won.”

The main event proved that boxing is reality enough without the executive decisions aimed at manufacturing a viable product for the public’s consumption. Nor do we need a second season of the contender to feature more mindless group games, abbreviated fight sequences that fail to tell the true story of a fight, or theatrical music to accentuate the drama. The daily plight of a boxer needs only a light shone upon it to illuminate the beauty and sacrifice of a man willing to put his health at stake to make a better life for his family. Neither Mora nor Manfredo, Jr. belongs in the company of today’s middleweight elite, but the contender does not have to masquerade their credibility nor that of the future contender participants. They are good young fighters trying to battle their way out of obscurity, out of poverty and into a better life. Last night, Mora and Manfredo, Jr. produced eight rounds of why that formula, though not good enough to be the world’s best, is definitely good enough television.

Then of course, when all exterior elements refuse to upend boxing’s best laid plans, it does the job more spectacularly itself. The Mora-Manfredo, Jr. fight entertained, it flowed back and forth. Manfredo, Jr. enjoyed the early success, cutting Mora and dominating behind an improved jab while Mora, in defense of his contender championship, waited and continually switched stance while bring outworked. The heat rose when they exchanged punches after the bell of the second of eight rounds, but Mora’s first real offensive came in the fifth. For the first minute and thirty-seconds of the round, Mora forced his way inside and delivered the most consistent barrage of punches thrown by either man in the entire fight. Manfredo, Jr. did not emerge with the fire he held in the early rounds, but he fought on even terms with Mora until the end. Both exhausted, it was clear that they had taken their toll upon each other, but Manfredo, Jr. won the fight. It was obvious – to everyone except the three judges scoring the fight.

Manfredo, Jr. swept Mora’s attempt at conciliation aside, saying: “Fuck that. You didn’t win that fight.” Thanks to the geographical advantage bestowed upon Mora this night, his Los Angeles crowd did not argue with the verdict. Boxing really is coming to something when a fighter, who has enough on his hands going into a fight, has to worry about changing his game-plan or natural style to accommodate the temper of a hostile crowd. This territorial issue seems minor in the grander context of the sport, but it affects how decisions are rendered on a global scale. As long as problems such as this run rampant throughout boxing, it will always struggle to attain its former prestige. Millions of uninitiated fans saw those decisions and Lord knows how quickly they were convinced to stay away from a sport whose adjudication system appears rife with ineptitude.

The sad thing is that we can’t even blame the likes of Burnett and Stallone, whose smiles were rarely wider than when the camera fixed upon them. They are out to make money from fighters, the most disadvantaged and downtrodden athletes in the sport’s spectrum, and they will, because unless you are exceptional fighter, there’s no better alternative waiting for you. Boxing will continue to hurt, to fight with itself and to propagate an image that does a great injustice to the real art and beauty that exists within it. That is the reality that we face.

Grant Inches Closer to Title Shot

2005-10-11T19:17:00.000-05:00

By Jim Cawkwell.

Halloween is the night that the dead walk the earth, but this year, something once considered long departed from the world of boxing undergoes a resurrection of its own, however brief it proves. It is the career of Montreal, Quebec’s own Otis Grant. Before Antonio Tarver arrived and vocally bludgeoned the boxing press to death, the “Magic Man” moniker belonged to Grant. He was magic enough to spellbind then unbeaten prospect Ryan Rhodes in a vacant clash for the WBO middleweight title in 1997. Rhodes was one of the Sheffield slicksters brought to the fore by famed Irish trainer Brendan Ingle. The young star headlined domestic boxing shows, knocking opponents silly and being back at ringside in time to watch best friend Naseem Hamed do the same. Rosy as the picture looked, Rhodes was in over his head against Grant and the torture lasted all of the twelve rounds with Grant more than deservedly proclaimed the new champion.

One year later, the spell wore off and Grant, having voluntarily abdicated his championship, met pound-for-pound champion Roy Jones Jr. Truly, as overmatched as Rhodes was against Grant was nothing compared to what separated Grant from Jones, and when all was told, Canadian trainer Russ Anber saw no further option but to save Grant from the likelihood of a vicious stoppage loss. From humiliation and failure came tragedy for Grant as he fell victim to a life threatening car accident; he still carries the scars around his shoulders to this day.

Five long years of rehabilitation and soul searching later, Grant is back and on the verge of challenging for his second world title. That title is the WBC super middleweight championship, owned by Germany’s Markus Beyer. A fighter well known to Beyer and about to become acquainted with Grant is Italy’s Cristian Sanavia. Having once beaten Beyer, Sanavia knew even less of the championship life than Grant, who was able to make at least one successful defense. Sanavia performed the rare feat of exiting Germany with one of its pugilistic resident’s titles, but the result of his inevitable return was not so favorable. Beyer punished Sanavia’s impudence before prompting a sixth round stoppage to claim the title he holds to this day, and if Grant can defeat Sanavia on October 29, Beyer will entertain the challenge of Grant in 2006.

From world championship glory, to disastrous loss, to personal tragedy and back to the forefront of title contention, Grant’s is an incredible tale of determination against the odds. The next chapter comes in the under-whelming setting of Lac Leamy Casino in Gatineau, Quebec, and if the story does not end there, it must continue in the hostile environment of Beyer’s Germany, where no fighter is assured of victory. However the final act plays out, the courage of Otis Grant is already a story worth remembering.

Samuel Peter: Another Lamb to the Slaughter.

2005-09-30T08:46:00.000-05:00

In boxing, prophetic statements are no rarity. Comfort in the wake of their unraveling is harder to find. First defeats can devastate fighters. Many look to religion for solace and guidance, while others go further, illustrating that the Almighty governs their very movements and that their success is the will of God. Samuel Peter is one such individual. However, the “Nigerian Nightmare” proved to be little more than a slight murmur in a dreamless sleepwalk for Wladimir Klitschko.

HBO tailored their pursuit of Peter to suit a heavyweight era yielding greater disappointments than successes. Allowing him to drift between themselves and rival network Showtime throughout his ascent to the Klitschko showdown demonstrated that patience is indeed a virtue. We assumed that Peter’s youth and power would combine to elevate the heavyweight division above its current doldrums. But there was no grand plan to enhance Peter’s skill, to sculpt his raw materials into a more complete fighter. And as we saw against Klitschko, such neglect brought about Peter’s undoing.

Of course, defeat could prove the making of Peter as a fighter. Victory over Klitschko, arguably the finest all-round fighter in the division, would have brought Peter an HBO contract, sizable amounts of money that might have satiated whatever remained of his need to devour all on his path to greatness. The acquisition of great wealth eliminates the need to fight often, and fighting often is exactly what Peter needs. Throughout the last two years, Peter has fought overweight, relying on brute force to win. A stern assessment of himself, his place in the division, attentiveness to craftsmanship and a training regime to bring his weight down could mold Peter into a future champion.