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If Not
Now, When?
By
Bernie McCoy
May 29, 2003
The Luddites were a conservative sect in England, in the early nineteenth
century, led by a self-styled "General" Ned Ludd (think Newt Gingrich in a
waist-coat) and his Army of Redressers who sought to stop the progress
envisioned by the proponents of the Industrial Revolution. The Luddite
movement failed. Home Box Office is a cable television sect, formed in the
latter half of the twentieth century, led by a series of self styled
"programming geniuses" who seem to have sought to forestall the progress
of Women's boxing, envisioned by those athletes, promoters and fans who
earnestly seek to gain recognition for that sport. The HBO movement has
succeeded beyond the wildest dreams of General Ned Ludd.
HBO has been televising boxing for thirty years, three decades; Richard
Milhous Nixon was President of the United States when HBO began its
coverage. During that thirty year period, HBO has never, not once, in
those 360 months of broadcasting the sport of boxing, seen fit to televise
a Women's bout. This is not to say that HBO has completely ignored the
sport. As part of its Pay-Per-View arm, HBO has shown several Women's
bouts as part of their coverage of championship cards. However, on the
premium cable channel, the next Women's boxing bout on HBO will be the
first.
On June 21 HBO plans to telecast the Lennox Lewis/Kirk Johnson heavyweight
championship fight. HBO thought so much of the "marquee value" of this
matchup, that Mike Tyson was originally scheduled to fight on the same
card to provide added "sizzle" to the night of boxing. When Tyson, as is
his wont, dropped off the card, HBO added a bout between Vitali Klitschko
and Cedric Boswell, two in the long list of "other fighters" in the
heavyweight division; considerably less attractive than Lewis, Tyson,
newly arrived Roy Jones Jr., David Tua and possibly Chris Byrd.
The June 21 card will also feature a Women's bout between Laila Ali and
Valerie Mahfood, a return of their November matchup, where the fight was a
one-sided eighth round TKO win for Ali. Also being planned is a bout
between Lucia Rijker and Jane Couch. This fight was originally scheduled
for June 8 in Amsterdam, but is now, apparently, "on track" for June
21. This was a result of a "musical chairs" gambol orchestrated by Mia St
John when she backed out of her bout with Rijker.
The Rijker/Couch bout is an intriguing matchup from several standpoints.
Rijker, once considered the hardest hitting woman in the ring, has been
largely inactive for almost four years, fighting only four rounds in that
period. Couch, an Englishwoman, has overcome many obstacles, including a
number of archiac statutes in her native land, to pursue a career in her
chosen sport. Both women are fighters who know how to box, neither takes a
back step, and both have the skills to showcase the sport of Women's
boxing to its fullest. In addition, there is the added enigma surrounding
Rijker's return to the ring and a matchup with a quality fighter. Is she
is close to being the fighter she was when she was laying waste to 14
opponents during the late nineties (13 knockouts)? If she is anywhere
close to that devastating puncher, she will immediately reestablish
herself as one of the major attractions in the sport. On the other hand,
Couch presents a solid test to benchmark how almost four years of
inactivity have effected the former "baddest woman on the planet".
Rijker is, likewise, no stranger to HBO. The PPV channel covered Lucia's
bout with a very rugged Andrea DeShong in Las Vegas in 1997. Rijker
brought an end to the bout in the third round with a thunderous right hook
to the ribs of DeShong, who, screaming in pain, turned her back to Rijker,
essentially signaling her night was over. George Foreman, covering the
bout on HBO, exclaimed, over the air, "Wow, we should have had a woman
with us (at the broadcast table) to let us know how it feels to get hit as
hard as that". Yes, HBO knows Lucia. In fact HBO is on record as saying
that had the Christy Martin/Rijker match ever been made, the cable network
would have been there to cover it. The Rijker/Martin "train" has probably
"left the station". But, Rijker is still around and now it looks like
she'll be back in the ring on June 21, and she's in with a very compelling
fighter.
Its not Rijker/Martin, but if the Rijker/Couch bout makes it to the
Staples Center in late June (and with Rijker and her history of "showing
up, or not" that's always problematical) it could be the best bout of the
night. Its an eight round bout, probably less since these two fighters
will have no trouble finding the other in the ring. Thus, in terms of
airtime, HBO is looking at an additional half hour, if that".
Additionally, it's doubtful that the two heavyweight bouts will go the
distance. It can be fairly argued, then, that a Rijker/Couch bout will
provide a much more attractive alternative to the "fill" programming that
inevitably pervades when the scheduled bouts end early.
The Luddites gave into the inevitable Industrial Revolution after only two
years. HBO has, inconceivably, held out against Women's boxing for thirty
years. Its time for the cable channel, an acknowledged leader in the
boxing world, to step up and cover quality Women fighters. Lucia Rijker
and Jane Couch are quality fighters. Its a great opportunity for HBO.
Additionally, its time. Its way past time. If not now, when? Bernie
McCoy |
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