The Shafting of Blair “The Flair” Cobbs, a Familiar Thread in the Cruelest Sport

When prowling boxing gyms in Las Vegas, this reporter often bumps into welterweight Blair Cobbs. He’s invariably upbeat. Indeed, when Blair the Flair enters a gym, announcing his arrival with his signature “Woo!” (an homage to Ric Flair), it energizes the entire room.

Yesterday his demeanor was out of character. He didn’t really want to talk with someone from the media, but dutifully succumbed to an interview, choosing his words carefully as his body language registered disconsolation.

Blair is frustrated, and who wouldn’t be in his situation?

A year ago this month, he scored the biggest win of his career, upending former multi-division would titlist Adrien Broner on a card promoted by Don King at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Cobbs knocked Broner down in the second round, dislodging one of Broner’s teeth, and won a clear-cut 10-round decision. After the fight, the inimitable Don King anointed him “the new WBC Welterweight People’s Champion.”

That victory came on the heels of a triumph over another former world title-holder, Maurice Hooker. Cobbs defeated Hooker in Hooker’s backyard (Fort Worth, Texas), taking control of the fight early and winning a wide decision.

“Blair Cobbs,” we wrote following his conquest of Broner, “looks poised for a late career surge.” But to the contrary, his career, through no fault of his own, has stagnated. He hasn’t fought since the Broner fight.

Since that night in Florida, Cobbs filed for bankruptcy and severed his tie to Don King, related developments and, in December, made a trip to Hamburg Germany. Cobbs was there for the WBC convention.

Boxers, especially free agents, are encouraged to attend the conventions of major world sanctioning bodies and shmooze with the members of the rating committee and other big fish. The WBC affair is the largest of its kind.

Mario Barrios was then the new WBC welterweight champion, having been bumped up from “interim” when Terence Crawford left the division to conquer new worlds at 154.

Google that confab in Hamburg and, among the news notes, you will find this entry: “People’s Champion Welterweight. Blair “The Flair” Cobbs wants to fight Mario Barrios for the title. He defeated Adrian Broner. He is promised a future challenge.”

When are the powers-that-be going to honor this promise? Don’t hold your breath. Barrios had a lucrative fight fall into his lap when Manny Pacquiao came out of retirement (they lock horns on July 19) and, as if Blair hadn’t already suffered enough slights, he was recently removed from the WBO ratings for inactivity.

Cobbs has some choice words for Don King. “He needs to stop micro-managing,” he says. “It’s as if King still thinks it’s the 1990s.”

Cobbs makes a spot-on comparison with Bob Arum: “Arum is okay being the face of the company and allowing others to handle the [day-to-day affairs]. He works with a slew of managers, unlike King who has become something of a lone wolf.”

King is still flailing away, but sporadically, and is a pale imitation of what he once was. People new to boxing would likely be surprised to learn that there was once a raging debate about whether King or Arum — bitter rivals born within four months apart in 1931 — warranted the label of the world’s top boxing promoter.

In words written for a 2008 book, the nod went to King. His contributions were greater, we wrote, because he promoted across a wider swath of the globe and exerted far more sway over the heavyweight division.

The ensuing years have fractured that observation. This reporter is reminded of a class he took in religions during his freshman year of college. The difference between a cult and a denomination, we were taught, is that a cult crumbles and dies following the death of its charismatic leader whereas a denomination endures across generations.

What we have come to learn is that Don King is a cult and Bob Arum a denomination.

Blair Cobbs doesn’t rule out working with King again. “If he uses me, I’ll work hard to sell the fight, but I won’t sign another multi-fight contract with him and, trust me, if it happens, I would leave a lasting impression.”

Topping the marquee at King’s next promotion, although not yet official, is a fight between heavyweights Kubrat Pulev, 44, and Michael Hunter, 36. Although the winner (in theory) moves on to a date with England’s exciting Fabio Wardley, Pulev vs. Hunter is hardly an alluring attraction. It’s a fight that commands a strong undercard and Blair Cobbs may be available. As for a potential opponent, Blair mentions South Africa’s Tulani Mbenge who owns a welterweight title belt, albeit that of a fringe organization (IBO).

In truth, Blair Cobbs may not be as good as he thinks he is and many would take umbrage with his boast that he is the sport’s most electric performer but, at age 35 he doesn’t have much mileage on him and there’s nothing misleading about his 17-1-1 record. Moreover, Cobbs has one of the most interesting backstories of any athlete, a big plus from the standpoint of marketability.

They say that boxing is the cruelest sport. Insiders know that much of the cruelty takes place outside the ropes. Philadelphia boxing trainer Stephen “Breadman” Edwards hit the nail on the head when he said 90 percent of boxers don’t retire, the sport retires them, often because the system mistreats them so bad that it’s not worth continuing. The last words that heavyweight gatekeeper Jonnie Rice said to me were “boxing doesn’t like me anymore.” He was then riding a three-fight winning streak that included two big upsets, stoppages of Michael Coffie and Guido Vianello, but the phone had stopped ringing.

Blair “The Flair” Cobbs isn’t ready to toss in the towel. He keeps grinding away, his trainer Justin Gamber at his side. “All I want is another opportunity,” he says, “and I still have a glimmer of hope.”

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