RingSide Report

World News, Social Issues, Politics, Entertainment and Sports

Boxing is Back, Volume II – The Eye Test

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By Marc “Kid Huevos” Livitz

The 1990’s was a fun decade, to be sure. I learned how to drive in the 90’s. I voted for the first time as well as collected a piece of paper which said I’d successfully absorbed enough information in higher education in the 90’s. I saw the actions of a guilty man interrupt game five of the NBA Finals as my Houston Rockets were going for their first world title in the 90’s. During one particular semester in college, I attended classes only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which of course meant four day weekends each and every week. I grew to love it, even though it meant I’d have my tush parked in one classroom or another for close to six hours before I had to quickly change clothes and go to work. Still, I miss those two days a week when life was easily crammed into 48 hours, so to speak.

As we wade through the pushing and pulling waves of the coronavirus pandemic, at least we have Top Rank and ESPN coming through in a clutch of sorts on Tuesdays and Thursdays. What we’re beginning to see is an abbreviated showcase where fans are truly at heart, even though they’re not permitted to attend the bouts in person. Top Rank has done us well. The Las Vegas-based promotional giant has made its partnership with ‘The Worldwide Leader in Sports’ a pleasant one. Visually speaking, the setup for Tuesday’s bouts were quite pleasant on the eye. While the locale of the fights is eloquently known as “The Bubble”, it’s actually part of a series of giant ballrooms on the far back side of the MGM Grand.

The LED screens and the high definition presentation it has brought with it is very easy on the senses. Without the lights and fanfare, as this writer can attest, we wouldn’t even to be able to tell that a back wall existed in the room. It’s that big. As far as the telecast is concerned, the triumvirate of Joe Tessitore, Andre Ward and Tim Bradley is whatever you make it. At the time of the writing of this very article, it is Bradley in particular who is rightfully criticizing the winded and plodding action between heavyweights Juan Torres and Hector Perez. One thing about televised boxing is the fact that the ever-present court of public opinion will soon forget about a dreadful match with the same pace as we stay glued to the TV in the hopes that the following match fixes such an issue.
So, what do you think so far of the Tuesday and Thursday fight nights? It reminds me a bit of when the World Cup was held in Brazil in 2014. The time zones didn’t make much of a difference and we were able to watch matches after work. Let’s see how far this goes and for the time being, let’s embrace the sport for what it is, which is a thousand times more difficult than most can possibly comprehend.

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