MATCH THE NOVICES
I READ the excellent Editor’s Letter in your December 7 issue, in which you highlighted the trend of boxers padding their records with meaningless fights against journeymen, before then taking on more celebrated fighters. I’ve just finished reading Big Fight Banned by Bob Lonkhurst, and couldn’t help realising that there’s a common theme regarding the ill-fated Bombardier Billy Wells’ matchup with world heavyweight champion Jack Johnson.
Although race played a part in the ultimate banning of the fight, the main reason for the decision to challenge the bout was the vast difference in experience between Johnson (a veteran of over 60 contests) and Wells (who had only had nine fights). The main concern was that the bout was a prizefight (illegal at the time) between a novice and a pro arguably at the top of his game.
This makes me wonder whether more should be done to make novices fight each other. Only then will the cream rise to the top. Journeymen are still important for professionals just turning over, but after half-a-dozen fights, these up-and-coming boxers should be facing each other. Glenn Wilson, Canterbury
SYMPATHY FOR ‘THE JACKAL’ I CAN’T help but feel extremely sorry for Guillermo Rigondeaux. We are constantly reminded how boxers use their craft to drag themselves out of terrible situations. Yet for a Cuban such as Rigondeaux, it didn’t matter how hard he fought in the ring – his personal situation could never improve in the country where he was born.
So after winning two Olympic gold medals, he made the terrifying choice to smuggle himself through sharkinfested waters to America – the land of opportunity. Once there, his dreams were swiftly shattered because his perfect technique was deemed not exciting enough by the promoters. Over time, he was overlooked by said promoters. So now another terrifying choice: fight a man of equal skill, but who is much bigger. Again, Rigondeaux goes for it, yet halfway through, he realises that he has taken on too much this time. So he decides not to continue. The backlash is then dramatic. Immediate boos on the night, pundits saying they never want to see him in the ring again, and the stain of ‘No Mas’ forever on his name. Are we truly this fickle? Michael Coverley
DOING THEIR COMMUNITY PROUD
WE have seen masterful performances by Billy Joe Saunders and Martin J. Ward – proof that the traveller community produces some of Britain’s best boxers. Both men are boxers in the purest form. Jamie Ingleby