By Pedro Fernandez

 

ONE DOESN’T DANCE OR RUN IN MEXICO!

And you don’t take a knee in Puerto Rico!  Think I’m kidding, ask Demarcus Coley?  When I posted the 15-1 Odds favoring Miguel Cotto over Demarcus Coley, I talked about the risks and gains of betting on the Puerto Rican.  A Cut, Butt, DQ, but did you notice nowhere did I mention the possibility of Cotto losing by KO.  It was just unfathomable. 

HBO NEARLY AIRED “IMPERFECT UPSET” 

On an evening in which the cable giant was pushing a late March event dubbed “Perfect-Upset,” the “Villanova-Georgetown” story, HBO nearly aired the “Imperfect Upset!”  Considered the “Heir-Apparent” of Puerto Rican boxing to King Tito Trinidad, the unbeaten Cotto was seemingly on his way to a short night of work when southpaw Corley caught him with a right-hook that Miguel didn’t see coming.  Although it wasn’t a “Baseball-Bat” type of blow, the fact that Cotto didn’t detect the incoming missile, he was rocked to his core!

DID I MENTION THE THREE-WEIGHT CLASS DIFFERENCE?

The first round saw Cotto doing what was expected of him.  And even though he was outgunned and outweighed by some 17 lbs., Corley showed incredible intestinal fortitude early on as he took the incoming artillery, and at the same pecked back with enough offense to keep the Puerto Rican from walking in with unbridled and reckless abandon.  Still, Corley went down and lost the stanza 10-8. 

THIS REFEREE DOESN’T ISSUE WARNINGS PERIOD!

Round two ended up “9-9,” as Cotto was penalized for a Low Blow by Referee Enrique Quinones Falu in a round in which Cotto was winning.  Corley took some time to rest, and when action continued, the Washington DC native was attempting to play “Give and Take” with Miguel Cotto.  When the second stanza ended, you knew that there was no dog in Corley as he wasn’t in Puerto Rico to lose, even though he was facing insurmountable odds.

MENTIONING THE 17 LB. WEIGHT EDGE AGAIN! 

Anytime I had a seven to ten pound weight advantage over a foe or sparring partner, I could definitely feel it!  Give any capable fighter a 17 lb. weight edge and what you have is NOTHING resembling a fair fight!  Weighing 157 lbs., Cotto looked like a middleweight going against a jr. welterweight in Corley who weighed 137 at the weigh in, and 140 come fight time. 

THE RESULT OF NOT SEEING A PUNCH! 

Round three was the session of battle in which Cotto showed that like any battleship, he can spring a leak.  Getting tagged with left crosses and right hooks, it was the hook that almost pulled off the “Imperfect Upset.”  Reeling around the ring from the shot he didn’t see landing in the first minute, Cotto was there to be finished for better than 120 seconds!  And it wasn’t the resilience of the Puerto Rican that prevented such an occurrence.  No, it was Corley’s decision to throw body shots at Cotto who was for lack of a better term, staggering down Queer St.!

NOT LIKELY TO SEE REFEREE FALU AGAIN ON HBO! 

Referee Falu, much to the chagrin of Team Corley, took a Point away from Corley for a blow that although was south, it showed a little yellow in Cotto as he acted as if the blow was debilitating and brought about the Point Deduction in the fourth.  From that point forward, Cotto was back in control.  And in the fifth, things appeared to be steering towards a conclusive ending as Corley went down from a body shot. 

REFEREE PROBABLY SAVED CORLEY FROM BEHEADING! 

Seemingly in full control of his faculties, Demarcus got up and after an exchange in which he was on the short end power wise a short time later, he took a knee, all the while eye-balling Referee Falu.  Having seen enough, Falu halted matters right then and there.  And while an argument can be made that Falu prevented Corley from further punishment, it can also be said that he deprived Corley an opportunity to finish under his own accord. 

TRINIDAD WILLING TO FACE COTTO FOR ISLAND TITLE! 

But would Miguel Cotto step up to the dance?  The Puerto Rican boxing fans that want to see Cotto and Tito Trinidad meet, seeing Miguel weighed 157 last night, his fighting a man the size of King Tito is not out of the question.  But before anybody get crazy and takes this match past a talking stage, realize this.  Trinidad knocks Cotto the puck out if they were to meet this year or early next!

CALIFORNIA COMMISSION SELECTS GARCIA! 

The long-awaited announcement of the new Executive Director of the California Athletic Commission was NOT announced because the man Vice Chairman John Frierson didn’t want to win, did just that and won!  On a 3-2 vote, with 1976 Olympic Gold Medallist Bruce Jenner casting the third vote, Garcia, a Cop and Referee from Florida beat out San Diego Cop and Referee Pat Russell.  Not only was Frierson, who listens to the banned in Nevada, California Referee Marty Denkin, soundly defeated on Russell, he lost the “Frierson Rule” which for years was the “Denkin Rule” in that he wanted to have five-second warnings ending rounds instead of ten seconds!  Buffoon-like Denkin, stood up at the Commission meeting of 2-22-05 and said his rule would prevent riots!  Can you believe that bullspit?

LATINO GARCIA HAS YET TO BE ANNOUNCED! 

Frierson was so outraged at Garcia’s selection, that he and Chairman Meers, who was the other Russell vote, that they are trying to put on another vote in March!  The rules say more than four members, and the vote is Official!  The Frierson, Meers, & Denkin move is patently illegal, and Frierson and Meers need to know that two California Senators were advised of this illegality on Friday afternoon!  I also notified the U.S. Justice dept. on Friday of what I perceive might be a “Violation of Garcia’s Civil Rights.”  I mean Armando Garcia wins 3-2, and because the guy who retired from his San Diego Police job last week Russell, didn’t they are trying to nullify the Vote!

E MAIL THE STATE RIGHT NOW PLEASE! 

The honorable California Commission would like to hear from you on the subject of “Fair Play & Democracy” I’m sure.  Drop them a line ASAP at boxing@dca.ca.gov

“PAC-MAN” & “SUPER JUDAH” NEXT  “RING TALK RADIO”

Sunday (February 27, 2005) when “Ring Talk Radio” hits the air, both shows will feature appearances by featherweight “King Manny” Pacquiao, and undisputed World welterweight champion Zab “Super” Judah.  Also on tap will be another “Exclusive” interview with Oscar De La Hoya, and HBO Godfather Larry Merchant joins us for the “West-Coast” edition as well!

TWO SHOWS, TWO TIMES, BOTH LIVE ON SUNDAYS! 

The early edition of ‘Ring Talk Radio” comes to you at 8:00 PM ET or 5:00 PM out west.  It is an hour in duration airing on the National Radio Network, Outdoor Sports Network, and the Cable Radio Network #6.  “Ring Talk Radio” is heard live in Chicago, Boston, Salt Lake City, to name some of the markets carrying the early show. 

LATE SHOW IS FOR THE LEFT COAST! 

At 10 PM PT, the late show kicks in for two hours on the Universal Talk Network with my flagship being KNBR 1050 in San Francisco.  Both programs are carried “LIVE” at my website, the one and only www.RingTalk.com

Note: Mr. Fernandez is not your average boxing writer. A four-time Golden Gloves champion who spent eight honorable years with the San Francisco Police Dept., Pedro Fernandez is a schooled Journalist who has had a byline for better than three decades!  He can be reached with your comments at Pedro@RingTalk.com