YOU ARE A FITE FAN.... By Geo El

You’re a fight fan ... following the game since way back during the great Joe Louis era ... and as a kid you thought he’d stay champ as long as able to navigate the four steps to the ring.

And why not ... once claiming the bauble back in 1937 by eight round KO over Jimmy Braddock, you watched as he reduced a formidable field of challengers to “Bum of the month” status, before finally losing the crown to Ezzard Charles in September of 1950.

You’re a fight fan ... and you yearn for the old days ... when a single title belt per weight class was the rule ... and you could rattle off the names of the respective champs ... Pep, Montgomery, Robinson, Zale, Lesnevich ... and those that followed.

You’re a fight fan ... and recall the great battles of yesterday ... Zale-Graziano ... Pep-Saddler ... Basilio-DeMarco ... LaMotta-Robinson ... Moore-Durelle. And Marciano-Walcott ... Rocky and Charles ... Frazier-Ali ... Leonard-Hearns ... you’re a fight fan and you remember ... but today it’s a whole different ballgame with multiple titleholders at each weight class ... WBA, WBC, IBF ... and WBO anyone?

You’re a fight fan ... and you remember when valor was a common virtue ... was St. Valentine’s Day 1951 ... round 13 ... LaMotta defending against Robinson and Jake is helpless against the ropes ... refuses to fall ... ref finally halts the massacre.

You’re a fight fan ... and you recall Marciano and Charles in their second meeting ... and Rocky returning to his corner at end of seven ... freak punch had split his nose wide open ... commish doc wants to call a halt ... Rocky begs for one more round ... starches Ezzard in number eight.

There were others ... too many to recall ... was the way it was in this demanding sport of boxing ... and continues today as the toughest job in all pro sports ... even with the many changes.

You’re a fight fan ... and remember when championship rounds were 13 thru 15 ... and Louis behind on points to Conn after 12 ... date was June 18, '41 ... and Louis turned out the lights in round 13.

And LaMotta-Dauthille ... Sept. 13, '50 ... LaMotta trailing after 14 ... then closes show with KO in candle 15 to retain title.

You’re a fight fan ... and have adjusted to the changes ... like that April, 2000 Lewis-Grant “unification” fiasco ... the one that became a 2/3rd share affair after the WBA heisted the belt from Lewis.

The HBO hacks toutin’ Grant as something special ... and bathing the big guy in accolades ... was picked up by the print media as well ... heart, guts, desire ... and the new one that surfaced during the turn of this century ... “Athleticism.”

You’re a fight fan ... and refused to be had ...and swept aside the nonsense that a beizboler, roundballer, footballer makes for an advantage in a fistfite.

You’re a fight fan ... come the opening bell you witness an amateur tossing punches as if in panic ... and the champ Lewis only a hair better ... but scoring ... and the bigger “special” one resembles a yo-yo ... and the heart, guts, desire go AWOL.

For were they at his disposal he would surely have done more than merely rise after the early knockdowns ... he would have gotten up firing.

You’re still a fight fan ... and you bite the bullet ... the talent is out there for all to see ... and with fingers crossed you sit and wait ... for the cream to rise to the top ... as in one champ per division ... as in king of the hill!

Keep the faith guys and gals ... and the hands up and head down.

Semper fi,

Geo El