07.03.06 – By Izyaslav “Slava” Koza: In the money world of fighting, one would think, a title shot, some sweet cash, and probable TV exposure would be enough to make opponents walk through fire to fight you. However, apparently when it comes to Roman “Made in Hell” Karmazin, you can’t pay fighters enough to even consider the deal. Today, Ike “Bazooka” Quartey declined to fight the IBF champ, running the total of fighters who have done so, well above the limit for a new champ.
Are these guys serious?
For months, all I read from fans about the nature of Karmazin’s victory over Ouma, was that it was just a good performance.
I mean, that not in the sense that Karmazin got lucky, or was given a gift when Ouma failed to prepare, but that it was only a solid win, not one that showed Roman to be invincible. The feeling I got was most fans thought any of a number of guys would be able to beat him, not to mention Ouma, who has already fought twice since that bout, in a rematch. While there is nothing fundamentally wrong with those opinions, if that title was so easy to take and Roman was so easy to beat, he wouldn’t have to wait this damn long to find a worthy enough opponent.
I don’t want to say it’s fear but there seems to be no way around it. Its not that these guys are scared, its that I think they are not as confident in winning as they would be with other opponents. Karmazin has the best trainer in boxing in his corner, and prepares like a madman, plus he is tall, and apparently pissed as hell. That is a risk few name fighters are willing to take, just for the sake of sacrificing their reputation to a relative unknown.
What is worse is Karmazin has hit the traditional champion’s fork in the road. Either Roman waits for somebody good to finally brave “Made in Hell” both for us and for himself, and thereby stays inactive, or he fights somebody we haven’t heard about. I think in general the public would forgive Karmazin for fighting somebody even more unknown then he is, but what good does that do for him? He is looking for a TV fight, and a chance to prove how good he is, not dominate some hapless victim just for the sake of staying busy. Its really a no win situation without a name opponent and that is the real shame.
The tragic, comedic, silver lining is, Karmazin was once scheduled to fight Oscar de La Hoya, who pulled out leaving Karmazin’s career in limbo basically until the Ouma fight. I bet Karmazin previously imagined that once he got the belt, he thought there would be no way in Hades anybody would ever make him feel like a second class boxer ever again. Apparently champions, yes, even Alphabet soup ones, can be reduced to feeling like journeymen, looking for a pick up fight and some quick cash.
For the love of the sport, somebody give the champion a chance, there is no money down, and there might be a nice belt in it for you if you win.