Last Week in Boxing: Nietes and Linares Deserved More Than Obscurity
Last Week in Boxing: Nietes and Linares Deserved More Than Obscurity
Donnie Nietes and Jorge Linares were the story of the weekend -- it's just too bad no one told it. They were relegated to networks like AWE and beIN.
The decline of boxing can be seen in ways both big and small. While the big flaws get the big press, it's the little things that make prognostications of doom feel a little bit true. If death is coming, it's a death by a thousand cuts. Last weekend was the perfect example.
Two fighters competed in title fights, one of them right here in these United States. You probably didn't have any idea. No one did. These world-class talents were relegated to networks like AWE and beIN, making certain that no Americans had a chance to see their efforts. Donnie Nietes and Jorge Linares were the story of the weekend -- it's just too bad no one told it.
Nietes (39-1-4, 22 KOs), a longtime belt holder at hayweight/minimumweight, is a popular fighter in the Filipino community and was able to sell a few tickets at the Stubhub Center for his bout with Edgar Sosa. Yes, the Stubhub Center. In California. Here's a world class fighter in the United States, and the sports networks still can't be bothered to find him a place on their programming schedule. It was left to beIN, Al Jazeera's sport station, to broadcast the fight. That's barely better than not broadcasting it at all.
In fairness, the fight wasn't terribly competitive. Sosa, best remembered by most as yet another Roman Gonzalez victim, has seen his best days -- and they are well behind him. He managed to win a grand total of no rounds of the fight. The more technical Nietes kept giving him angles and smacking him around at will. Arthur Villanueva and Mark Magsayo, the chief undercard attractions, did well against showcase opponents, and this would not have been out-of-place on HBO or Showtime overall. They weren't great fights, but at the very least this card had the chance for HBO to build a future Gonzalez opponent or Showtime to cultivate some ethnic drawing power. And it would have been cheap. Ratings this year suggest random featherweights engaging in brawls do just as well as big-ticket fighters such as Andre Ward. Why not take a chance on one of the best fighters in the world?
That brings us to the other star of the weekend: Linares (41-3, 27 KOs). Now campaigning at lightweight, Linares entered the packed Manchester Arena to face WBA champion Anthony Crolla. The fight was a big deal in the UK, big enough to justify the presentation of a Ring Magazine belt to the winner. Perhaps not coincidentally, one of Linares' co-promoters owns that publication. Nonetheless, this was a scintillating fight between two men at the top of their games. At the end of the contest, the cards read out for the correct man. Linares had outboxed the forward moving Crolla, landing cleaner blows and throwing ridiculously fast combinations.
It was a great fight in front of great fans. And most American fans missed it because boxing lacks a steward capable of presenting this great sport the way it deserves to be presented.
Crolla, now 31-5-3 with 13 KOs, needs to make significant changes to his strategy if he hopes to win a rematch. He simply didn't have an answer for Linares' incredible hand speed and needs to greatly increase his output to win. That comes with the risk of being seriously hurt or stopped. Lucky for him, Linares has melted down under pressure multiple times before.
Besides, with an entertaining first fight in the books, why not do it again? Just this time, maybe, we can get this on a channel we've all heard of. Boxing fans deserve it.
Additional reporting by Alan Conceicao.
Two fighters competed in title fights, one of them right here in these United States. You probably didn't have any idea. No one did. These world-class talents were relegated to networks like AWE and beIN, making certain that no Americans had a chance to see their efforts. Donnie Nietes and Jorge Linares were the story of the weekend -- it's just too bad no one told it.
Nietes (39-1-4, 22 KOs), a longtime belt holder at hayweight/minimumweight, is a popular fighter in the Filipino community and was able to sell a few tickets at the Stubhub Center for his bout with Edgar Sosa. Yes, the Stubhub Center. In California. Here's a world class fighter in the United States, and the sports networks still can't be bothered to find him a place on their programming schedule. It was left to beIN, Al Jazeera's sport station, to broadcast the fight. That's barely better than not broadcasting it at all.
In fairness, the fight wasn't terribly competitive. Sosa, best remembered by most as yet another Roman Gonzalez victim, has seen his best days -- and they are well behind him. He managed to win a grand total of no rounds of the fight. The more technical Nietes kept giving him angles and smacking him around at will. Arthur Villanueva and Mark Magsayo, the chief undercard attractions, did well against showcase opponents, and this would not have been out-of-place on HBO or Showtime overall. They weren't great fights, but at the very least this card had the chance for HBO to build a future Gonzalez opponent or Showtime to cultivate some ethnic drawing power. And it would have been cheap. Ratings this year suggest random featherweights engaging in brawls do just as well as big-ticket fighters such as Andre Ward. Why not take a chance on one of the best fighters in the world?
That brings us to the other star of the weekend: Linares (41-3, 27 KOs). Now campaigning at lightweight, Linares entered the packed Manchester Arena to face WBA champion Anthony Crolla. The fight was a big deal in the UK, big enough to justify the presentation of a Ring Magazine belt to the winner. Perhaps not coincidentally, one of Linares' co-promoters owns that publication. Nonetheless, this was a scintillating fight between two men at the top of their games. At the end of the contest, the cards read out for the correct man. Linares had outboxed the forward moving Crolla, landing cleaner blows and throwing ridiculously fast combinations.
It was a great fight in front of great fans. And most American fans missed it because boxing lacks a steward capable of presenting this great sport the way it deserves to be presented.
Crolla, now 31-5-3 with 13 KOs, needs to make significant changes to his strategy if he hopes to win a rematch. He simply didn't have an answer for Linares' incredible hand speed and needs to greatly increase his output to win. That comes with the risk of being seriously hurt or stopped. Lucky for him, Linares has melted down under pressure multiple times before.
Besides, with an entertaining first fight in the books, why not do it again? Just this time, maybe, we can get this on a channel we've all heard of. Boxing fans deserve it.
Additional reporting by Alan Conceicao.