I remember waking up to the smell of sizzling bacon one morning, walking to the breakfast table I glance over and say good morning to my Mom, who in all recollection smiles and asks in Spanish, "How did you sleep?" Of course I replied in English, "…it was good Ma". She served me a plate of the most delicious migas, bacon and orange juice. As I dig in I remember what I should have told her the day prior, something that would go on to eventually change and mold me for the rest of my life "Oh, Ma, guess what I did yesterday?" – "What mijo?" I smiled and replied… "I joined the Army." The crashing of pans is the next thing I heard, I turned and saw my Mother with the most distressed look, an uneasiness came over me. "Can you take it back?" my Mother whispered…. on June 24 I left for basic, only a few weeks out of high school. June 25th was my Mother’s birthday.
I would go on to travel the world, see foreign places like Yugoslavia, Kosovo, Pristina and Kuwait. Meet amazing people and learn about culture and religion from friends and mentors in Germany and Ireland. I learned what it feels like to be shot at and bombed in Iraq, jump out of airplanes in Georgia and feel the secrecy of being assigned to the Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense and all their underground bunkers and experiments. I’ve jumped in the water on both coasts and have come to learn what it means to be an American. I’ve seen the faces of those who wish to be us, to be born in our shoes and lay foot on our land only for the mere reason of having a choice…and a chance. To be able to choose a destiny where the possibilities are limitless. We as a people won’t ever know what it feels like to be oppressed. We owe that to our founding fathers who had a vision of an exceptional country.
As the English writer G. K. Chesterton famously observed, "America is the only nation in the world that is founded on a creed." That creed is set forth most clearly in the Declaration of Independence, by which the American colonies announced their separation from Great Britain. The Declaration is a timeless statement of inherent rights, the proper purposes of government, and the limits on political authority.
America is an exceptional nation, but not because of what it has achieved or accomplished. America is exceptional because, unlike any other nation, it is dedicated to the principles of human liberty, grounded on the truths that all men are created equal and endowed with equal rights. These permanent truths are "applicable to all men and all times," as Abraham Lincoln once said.
In an election year, whether you had Obama or Romney winning the debates, we must pay homage to those who have lost their lives to grant us the opportunity to do something that was almost not a reality. The opportunity to Vote.
Judging In Boxing
Judging the debates is all about perception and pre conceived notions. A lot of people had one or the other winning even before the debates got going and it didn’t matter who did what, they were going to find a reason to have their guy win. It is only human to do so. So on a smaller scale, the same thing happens in boxing. I am not saying judging in boxing is corrupt, but what I am saying is that when you leave interpretation up to humans, you will always be fighting battles with pre-conceived notions and self fulfilling prophecy. I don’t think there will ever be a way to eliminate that (human error), unless you go with a fully automated scoring system (which I disapprove of whole heartedly) but I think you can deter that somewhat by having judges, old and new go to a semi-annual "judging" seminar. There judges of all ages can get together and share ideas on what and how to score. It is unfair to stack certain judges of a particular style on a card for a particular fighter. Judging should be fair around the board, whether the contest is in New Jersey or Texas. The right person should win every time, that is what we pay for. We are in 2012 and we are still using archaic rules and systems. Boxing also needs to incorporate technology like slow motion replay for potential head butts or low blows, a more specific punch count system, and an across the board drug testing system that’s tests for performance enhancing drugs. Ok, enough on that, I can go on for days and will address in another article…….
Mayweather vs Pacquiao
Yes the fight itself has lost steam. Yes it is not as lucrative as it once was. Yes they are getting up in years and yes Manny is fighting Marquez in DEC.... but the fight vs Mayweather still needs to happen. Why you ask? Well, 3 reasons actually;
1. Legacy. Although both fighters will not be ultimately defined by this fight, but both fighters will be judged on how they fought this fight.
2. History. Regardless of what type of boxing fan you are, it appeals to all. This fight has the potential to not only break records, but shatter them completely. This bout is too big to not happen.
3. The Fans. At the end of the day, we made Manny and Floyd superstars. We made them multi-millionaires. We gave them the mansions and fame. Without us, there would be no them. It is owed to the fan, a simple thank you, that will make all the PPV’s worth it.
Emmanuel Steward's passing was a shock to many. He is someone that actually pushed the entire sport of boxing to a new level. I will never forget his commentary, "This fight is going exactly how I thought it would…" His training style was fundamental in essence, with the jab and footwork as the foundation. He has changed lives for the better and can honestly say that he has and will continue to make this world a better place. You will be greatly missed Mr. Steward, and your contributions will never be forgotten.
The Standing 8 Count
1. Broner vs Demarco 17NOV2012 – Demarco has always had trouble with quick fighters, as he was stopped by Valero and losing convincingly vs Linares before stopping him…..Broner sounds more confident than cocky, shot out to Bad Left Hook for the article here http://www.badlefthook.com/2012/10/3/3452596/broner-vs-demarco-adrien-broner-hard-being-black-fighter-quotes-hbo-boxing-news
2. Some reports have surfaced that Edwin Valero was murdered by police……hmmm
3. Leija-Battah Promotions put on another great show this weekend in San Antonio and they seem to have another show in Dec. We are hoping to see a huge fight soon!!
4. Rocky Juarez stopped Antonio Escalante in a minor upset this weekend as well. This was supposed to be a showcase for Escalante, but Rocky stepped on the gas and got his young foe out of there. Props to Rocky and his camp, I wonder what is next for him.
5. Ivan Calderon has officially retired and will focus on being a coach and trainer at his new gym in Puerto Rico http://www.boxingscene.com/ivan-calderon-makes-it-official-announces-retirement--58777
6. Oscar DeLa Hoya made some statements on Twitter hinting at a comeback at 154lbs, The Return of The Golden Boy? "I am really confident I can do some damage to any 54 pounder in the world, except "Saul Canelo Alvarez" –Oscar De La Hoya via Twitter
7. A big Shot Out to Kendo Castaneda of San Antonio Tx, winning his boxing debut in San Antonio over the weekend. We are all looking forward to your next bout! Nothing but bigger and better in his future. You can follow him on Twitter @Kendo_Tremend
8. IF…..Zab fights Danny Garcia…..I think Zab Judah will give Danny fits the first half of the fight (with his speed), but Danny takes over the last half and remains undefeated. Danny’s first real test as a champion will be against Maltthyse……..
I would go on to travel the world, see foreign places like Yugoslavia, Kosovo, Pristina and Kuwait. Meet amazing people and learn about culture and religion from friends and mentors in Germany and Ireland. I learned what it feels like to be shot at and bombed in Iraq, jump out of airplanes in Georgia and feel the secrecy of being assigned to the Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense and all their underground bunkers and experiments. I’ve jumped in the water on both coasts and have come to learn what it means to be an American. I’ve seen the faces of those who wish to be us, to be born in our shoes and lay foot on our land only for the mere reason of having a choice…and a chance. To be able to choose a destiny where the possibilities are limitless. We as a people won’t ever know what it feels like to be oppressed. We owe that to our founding fathers who had a vision of an exceptional country.
As the English writer G. K. Chesterton famously observed, "America is the only nation in the world that is founded on a creed." That creed is set forth most clearly in the Declaration of Independence, by which the American colonies announced their separation from Great Britain. The Declaration is a timeless statement of inherent rights, the proper purposes of government, and the limits on political authority.
America is an exceptional nation, but not because of what it has achieved or accomplished. America is exceptional because, unlike any other nation, it is dedicated to the principles of human liberty, grounded on the truths that all men are created equal and endowed with equal rights. These permanent truths are "applicable to all men and all times," as Abraham Lincoln once said.
In an election year, whether you had Obama or Romney winning the debates, we must pay homage to those who have lost their lives to grant us the opportunity to do something that was almost not a reality. The opportunity to Vote.
Judging In Boxing
Judging the debates is all about perception and pre conceived notions. A lot of people had one or the other winning even before the debates got going and it didn’t matter who did what, they were going to find a reason to have their guy win. It is only human to do so. So on a smaller scale, the same thing happens in boxing. I am not saying judging in boxing is corrupt, but what I am saying is that when you leave interpretation up to humans, you will always be fighting battles with pre-conceived notions and self fulfilling prophecy. I don’t think there will ever be a way to eliminate that (human error), unless you go with a fully automated scoring system (which I disapprove of whole heartedly) but I think you can deter that somewhat by having judges, old and new go to a semi-annual "judging" seminar. There judges of all ages can get together and share ideas on what and how to score. It is unfair to stack certain judges of a particular style on a card for a particular fighter. Judging should be fair around the board, whether the contest is in New Jersey or Texas. The right person should win every time, that is what we pay for. We are in 2012 and we are still using archaic rules and systems. Boxing also needs to incorporate technology like slow motion replay for potential head butts or low blows, a more specific punch count system, and an across the board drug testing system that’s tests for performance enhancing drugs. Ok, enough on that, I can go on for days and will address in another article…….
Mayweather vs Pacquiao
Yes the fight itself has lost steam. Yes it is not as lucrative as it once was. Yes they are getting up in years and yes Manny is fighting Marquez in DEC.... but the fight vs Mayweather still needs to happen. Why you ask? Well, 3 reasons actually;
1. Legacy. Although both fighters will not be ultimately defined by this fight, but both fighters will be judged on how they fought this fight.
2. History. Regardless of what type of boxing fan you are, it appeals to all. This fight has the potential to not only break records, but shatter them completely. This bout is too big to not happen.
3. The Fans. At the end of the day, we made Manny and Floyd superstars. We made them multi-millionaires. We gave them the mansions and fame. Without us, there would be no them. It is owed to the fan, a simple thank you, that will make all the PPV’s worth it.
Emmanuel Steward's passing was a shock to many. He is someone that actually pushed the entire sport of boxing to a new level. I will never forget his commentary, "This fight is going exactly how I thought it would…" His training style was fundamental in essence, with the jab and footwork as the foundation. He has changed lives for the better and can honestly say that he has and will continue to make this world a better place. You will be greatly missed Mr. Steward, and your contributions will never be forgotten.
The Standing 8 Count
1. Broner vs Demarco 17NOV2012 – Demarco has always had trouble with quick fighters, as he was stopped by Valero and losing convincingly vs Linares before stopping him…..Broner sounds more confident than cocky, shot out to Bad Left Hook for the article here http://www.badlefthook.com/2012/10/3/3452596/broner-vs-demarco-adrien-broner-hard-being-black-fighter-quotes-hbo-boxing-news
2. Some reports have surfaced that Edwin Valero was murdered by police……hmmm
3. Leija-Battah Promotions put on another great show this weekend in San Antonio and they seem to have another show in Dec. We are hoping to see a huge fight soon!!
4. Rocky Juarez stopped Antonio Escalante in a minor upset this weekend as well. This was supposed to be a showcase for Escalante, but Rocky stepped on the gas and got his young foe out of there. Props to Rocky and his camp, I wonder what is next for him.
5. Ivan Calderon has officially retired and will focus on being a coach and trainer at his new gym in Puerto Rico http://www.boxingscene.com/ivan-calderon-makes-it-official-announces-retirement--58777
6. Oscar DeLa Hoya made some statements on Twitter hinting at a comeback at 154lbs, The Return of The Golden Boy? "I am really confident I can do some damage to any 54 pounder in the world, except "Saul Canelo Alvarez" –Oscar De La Hoya via Twitter
7. A big Shot Out to Kendo Castaneda of San Antonio Tx, winning his boxing debut in San Antonio over the weekend. We are all looking forward to your next bout! Nothing but bigger and better in his future. You can follow him on Twitter @Kendo_Tremend
8. IF…..Zab fights Danny Garcia…..I think Zab Judah will give Danny fits the first half of the fight (with his speed), but Danny takes over the last half and remains undefeated. Danny’s first real test as a champion will be against Maltthyse……..