Prizefight on Derby Day

Much is made these days of the difficulties that arise when two or more sporting events are scheduled for the same time. Since I am instinctively reluctant to use new technologies, and since I find most events are less compelling when viewed after the fact, I usually cope by choosing one or the other, or by finding a pub where I can watch more than one game at the same time. Does this lead me to drink more? Sometimes. So be it.

This morning I was treated to another sort of double header, in front of tonight's Mayweather-Mosley fight. I watched Mayweather-Marquez while reading Bill Simmons' Book of Basketball. I'm not sure if they showed the entire fight, or if they skipped a couple of rounds, since the book distracted me enough to make me lose track of enough of the fight to throw that much doubt on the broadcast. Did The Book of Basketball transfix me enough so that time seemed to speed up, at least as measured in rounds of boxing? I'm not sure. If so this is a nice compliment.

Nice, but nothing to get carried away by, as I saw that fight live, on the big screen at Guantanamo Bay's infamous Tiki Bar.* I already knew that

a.) Mayweather wins in a 12 round decision
b.) Marquez got his ass kicked
c.) This wasn't a very good fight

Distracting me from this fight wasn't that much of a compliment, in other words.

While this may not have been a great fight, this was in spite of, or perhaps because of Mayweather's greatness. His greatness as a defender and counter puncher, that is. As long as Floyd is able to control the fight, and make his opponent attack him, his outstanding defense seems to give him an overwhelming advantage. A fight where he is able to dictate the terms, and control the tempo will showcase his natural gifts, and his tremendous skills, but will also be rather boring.

After this fight Mosley-Margarito came on. While I knew Mosley would win this fight, I didn't know when the end would come. Since my home computers are all on the fritz right now, I had no way of checking the outcome. Some combination of my food (potato chips, fried chicken) and drink (beer, margaritas) had conspired to force me into multiple bathroom trips this morning. While I still dipped into The Book of Basketball during the fight, the bout was getting more competition for my attention from my large intestine.

Mosley knocked out Margarito in the 9th round. To that point I hadn't left the couch. My sphincter had done it's job, and could now relax.

I hadn't seen Sugar Shane fight before, so I wanted to see what I could expect tonight. He struck me as quick and athletic. He struck Margarito any way he wanted. Marge looked ridiculously slow, and seemed to be continually off balance. He was saved by the bell at the end of the 8th round, and was wobbly enough that I would have been hugely disappointed if Mosley hadn't finished him in the next.

Mayweather will be a completely different opponent from Margarito, lightning quick, and never off-balance. Mosley is quick too, but one wonders if he can find his way past Floyds' stellar defense. I would like to see it, in part because I think the resulting Mosley-Pacquiao fight would likely be one for the ages. This one, (or Mayweather-Pacquiao) may be one for the ages as well, but is unlikely to be as fan-friendly, since if Mayweather gets his way, it will feature him playing defense and controlling the fight. If Mosley can find a way to hurt him, or to outpoint him, Floyd may have to mix it up. Otherwise, we will see Mayweather's technical mastery carry the day, while the bloodlust of boxing fans will be thwarted until another day.

I heard a story on NPR explain that rather than worry about Mayweather attacking him with his lightning speed, Mosley intended to bring the fight to Floyd. I'm not sure why this spoon feeding the story to the Latte sipping Prius drivers who listen to NPR bugs me. Honestly, I suspect the reporter is spoon-feeding boxing to herself, with no idea that her story insults the intellegence of the minority of NPR listeners who have . Maybe it's incompetance from the press that gets under my skin. There's little reason to expect anything more.

Mayweather is considered a polarizing figure in boxing, who fans either love or hate. I am a Pacquiao fan by accident of marriage, just as my wife is a Pacquiao fan by accident of birth. I don't hate Floyd, but I do love blood. Go Sugar.

Gotta go watch the Kentucky Derby...and get on a computer where I can see if Cavs-Celtics is worth betting tonight. Not a big fan of betting injuries, so LeBron's elbow could keep me from that one anyway. Are the Celtics capable of taking advantage of this injury if it only slows James down for a game or two? What about 3? Usually a team will play above expectations the first game after an injury. This would make the Cavs the play, but it's hard to say that without seeing the line.

So far I'm 18-6-1 betting the NBA playoffs, which is pretty sick, any way you cut it, even though I'm generally just betting teams to bounce back, along with betting home teams. It may not be brain surgery, but you try winning 75% of your bets. Good fucking luck.


*Infamous not for waterboarding, but for whiskyboarding and ginboarding its patrons. Just kidding. Isn't anything connected to Guantanamo Bay inherently infamous these days?