Published: June 17, 2008 08:59 am      

Boxing isn’t what it used to be

Tapping out

After spending the weekend baking under the sun, I feel like it’s time for another random rambling about anything and everything that is sports.

• Boxing

I don’t normally talk a lot about boxing, because Ihave lost interest in the sport over the last few years. Isaw where Floyd Mayweather is going to retire from boxing and possibly begin a career in Mixed Martial Arts. Honestly, Ithink this is the worst thing the pugilistic champion could think of doing. Some people say he is trying to avoid a rematch with Oscar De La Hoya, but I don’t see that reasoning. Sure, their last bout was a classic and very close, but I don’t see anything De La Hoya did during that fight that would scare Mayweather into retirement. Ithink Mayweather should fight De La Hoya again, beat him again and take home the biggest payday he will ever get. If Mayweather makes the move to MMA he will get embarrassed by far superior fighters with much more training and experience in that particular field. It would be the same if an MMA fighter decided to fight Mayweather in a boxing match — a brutal beatdown.

I used to be a huge boxing fan. Boxing, at one time, was interesting and fun to follow. It seems like a hundred years ago when Mike Tyson was the most feared man on the planet. Now, he is a washed up bum that is broke and doesn’t have any respect from anyone.

Iremember when there were personalities to go along with the fighters. Charisma and rivalries helped enhance fighters and feuds. It made boxing fun.

Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Larry Holmes, George Foreman, Riddick Bowe, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roy Jones Jr. and those type of guys made boxing fun and entertaining.

Now, we have so many different champions. I can’t even tell you how many different “world”Heavyweight Champions there are. There is the WBO, IBF, IBC, WBC and on and on...

• Mixed Martial Arts

The sport of MMA has come a long way since the Gracie family introduced it to the American public in 1993. Rorion Gracie brought the Ultimate Fighting Championship to the United States in ‘93 and it began as a very controversial event.

Fighters were allowed to wear wrestling shoes, kimonos (karate or jiu jitsu clothing) and were not required to wear gloves. There were very few rules. Fighters were not allowed to fish-hook, eye gouge or bite their opponents. Groin strikes, hair pulling and many other techniques that are now outlawed were allowed in the original Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Now, in every regulated event in the country, there are safety regulations to protect fighters. Actually, there has only been one MMA-related death in the 15-year history of MMA in the United States. The fighter that passed away had a pre-fight condition that may have led to his death.

Fighters cannot knee or kick the head of a grounded opponent. All fighters must wear at least 4 oz. gloves. In most states, no shoes of any kind are permitted. There is no head butting and no hair pulling. Fighters are not allowed to strike the spine or back of their opponents head. No groin attacks, small joint manipulation or downward striking elbows are allowed. A fighter may not spike his opponent’s head or neck on the canvas, such as a piledriver-type maneuver.

Basically, the sport has evolved and has been legitimized over the years. It has become more popular than pro wrestling and pro boxing combined. Kentucky has become one of the most recent states to legalize pro MMA and will soon begin to regulate amateur MMA. The first pro MMAevent in Kentucky was held at the Corbin Civic Center in July of 2006.

• NBA

Ithought my beloved Celtics would have a tough time with the Lakers, but now Boston is on the verge of closing out L.A. in six games and hanging their 17th banner.

Kobe Bryant is a great player and I cannot deny that, but he is no Michael Jordan. Actually he is no Larry Bird or Magic Johnson either. He has three championships, but he owes a big thanks to Shaq for those.

Speaking of Magic Johnson, Igrew up hating him. Ihated everyone that played for the Lakers. After Magic retired I began to respect everything he had done as a player. Iadmit that he is one of the greatest players to ever lace up a pair of shoes and Ieven became a belated fan of everything he did in his career. I saw Magic cheering on the Lakers during their game-five win over the Celtics and all the old hatred I had came flooding back through my veins. Icouldn’t believe how I felt, but I grew up loving the Celtics and have never stopped.

I hope Kevin Garnett plays better in game six. It just seems like he has been passive and not playing aggressive. I know he has decent numbers and stats in the finals, but I think if he would turn it up a notch the Celtics would destroy L.A. from start to finish. Kobe Bryant and company have no answer for “The Big Ticket” when he decides to take over.