Boxing in 2019: Great Moments but Also Dark Days

Boxing in 2019: Great Moments but Also Dark Days

Fifteen years from now fans might look back at 2019 as they do a fine wine. It was a time when DAZN, ESPN+ and streaming made its presence felt in a big way to the point where the business model changed with major implications going forward.

It also was a year when boxing became more global, expanding its reach into parts of the world where it previously had no footprint.

Fans might point to an abundance of truly solid fights where the best fought the best. They might point to Canelo picking his spot to crush Krusher Kovalev or the night the “Monster” was exposed as a human by the “Filipino Flash” or when Josh Taylor edged out Regis Prograis in a fight where class, heart and skill dominated. These two reminded serious fans of Old School boxing. Lewis Ritson and Robbie Davies did the same in the UK.

Spence beat Porter, barely, and then escaped the wrath of a run-away Ferrari, barely. Pac beat Thurman but the old thrills were missing. Williams upset Hurd in another top- notch fight and Amanda Serrano had to work to beat Heather “The Heat” Hardy over the distance in a show of surprising grit on the part of Hardy.

GGG, while beginning to slow down, fought with old school determination as he edged out “The Technician” Serhiy Derevyanchenko in October.

While there were thrilling fights at the higher weights, including Andy Ruiz’s upset and the subsequent redemption by Anthony Joshua, and the slugfest between Adam Kownacki and Chris Arreola, many of the year’s best fights were fought at the lower weights and occurred during the later part of the year. For example, Jermell Charlo and Tony Harrison gave fans another treat near the end of the year when Tony lost focus and then lost the fight to a more determined, disciplined, and powerful Charlo. It was redemptive and it was fan-friendly.

Speaking of redemption (which featured in many top rematches this year), Jeff Horn got new life with a bloody and thrilling win over star-crossed Michael Zerafa.

Artur Beterbiev was so dominant that his fights were not close enough to be included here. In, fact, this is true for any number of talented and highly rated fighters like Rey Vargas or men with nicknames like “El Gallo,” “El Alacran,” “The Matrix”, “Hi-Tech,” “Bud,” or “Tank.”

But there were also dark days…

Maxim “Mad Max” Dadashev and Hugo Alfredo “Dinamita’ Santillan died days apart in July from brain injuries sustained in the ring.

“The world lost a great man, a great husband. I’ll think about him every day for the rest of my life,” said Dadashev’s trainer Buddy McGirt.

Bulgaria’s Boris Stanchov, fighting under his cousin’s name, died in September after being stopped in the fifth round of a 6-round fight in Albania. It was Stanchov’s sixth pro fight. He had lost the previous five.

Popular Patrick Day died in October after suffering a brain injury.

Not everyone on this earth is a good person. Some people go out of their way to release negativity. That’s bc of how bad they feel about themselves and how rotten they are internally. But I’m just glad that there’s more positive people who spread love and healthy vibes, than there are negative people who project bad energy. — Patrick Day’s last Facebook post.

“Cowboy” Dwight Ritchie passed away while training. The aboriginal Australian was 19-2. He collapsed after having taken a shot to the body when sparring with the aforementioned Michael Zerafa in Melbourne in November and could not be revived.

2019 was a mixed bag and part of the mix touched on a terrible truism (with a nod to Dr. Michael Schwartz, founder of the American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians), to wit: Boxers are going to get injured. Some are going to die.

Ted Sares can be reached at tedsares@roadrunner.com

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