13.02.07 – by David Pambianchi: Not taken seriously by some fans, women’s boxing lacks the appreciation it deserves. Spectators want action, and many assume only male fighters deliver. Yet, some women’s matches are more dynamic. One fan commented, “I have seen some fights (male) so pathetic and sloppy that even at age 50, I wanted to get into the ring and kick some butt myself. Women are expected to perform in order to prove themselves by fighting hard and using some skills.” ..
Some boxing enthusiasts complain, “Fights are stopped too soon, especially women bouts.”
After all, the big knockout punch defines the ultimate fight rush. Spectators long for it. Fighters cut their own risks if they suddenly take out their opponent with a flurry or key blow, all part of self-defense, survival and the danger inherent in a sport where strength, speed, skill and endurance combine with courage and heart. But whether someone screams, “Kill’em, Bust’em up,” or “Knockout the bum,” when the match ends, no civilized person actually wants anyone to get seriously or permanently injured. When a woman staggers, dizzy and looks ready to go down, the match is usually stopped. If this seems to occur less often with some male bouts, it may not necessarily be good for the sport. True, some fighters can recover after being stunned and come back victorious, but the responsibility to make the determination to continue a match is the “referee’s call,” not the fans and not the fighter on a standing eight-count.
The referee’s purpose to protect fighters by keeping the bout clean and safe, also allows combatants to go full tilt. No boxer thinks about it during a match, but secure in the subconscious, he or she knows the bout is under some form of control. At the ready, the referee helps insure a boxer’s welfare by sometimes stopping a boxing match, not some street fight. For the informed fan, there should be no thrill in watching an already defeated and helpless fighter get pummeled and hurt just for the sake of seeing someone laid out on the mat. There is no special glory in a win by extending a fight that degrades and harms a brother or sister in arms, who within minutes after a match may share a bond of friendship.
Appreciate a good fight, whoever gives all their heart. Women’s boxing is here. Pay attention.