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(DEC 13) Boxing is the only major sport that
doesn't have a scoreboard. As a result, the fighters, fans and all those
with a vested interest in the bout have no official indication who is
winning while the fight is going on. Opinions, of course, take shape as
the fight progresses and are fully formed by the end of the bout. If,
however, the fight goes the full distance, it is the judges, sometimes
in concert with the referee, who make the decision. That decision is
final and goes into the boxing records. It has always been thus. It
should, however, be noted that such decisions, like all subjective
opinions, seldom achieve unanimity among those fighters, fans and
concerned individuals. That, also, has always been thus.
A recent instance of differing opinions is the contretemps surrounding
the December 3 ten round bout between Regina Halmich and Elena Reid in
Magdeburg, Germany for the WIBF Flyweight title. This was a return bout
of a controversial ten round draw between the two fighters, in November,
2004. The most recent bout and subsequent decision triggered a
resumption of the oft-heard criticism which propounds the thesis that
when fighting Regina Halmich in Germany winning a decision is an
impossibility. Halmich is a German native, Reid an American. The
criticism, on this side of the Atlantic, ranged from considered to
cockeyed, from insightful to inane.
Since the coverage in this country seemed weighted to the Reid side of
the controversy, I sought out "the other side." I contacted Dr.
Christoph Rybarczyk, Head of Communication with Universum Boxing
Promotion in Germany, requesting that he act as an
translator/intermediary with Regina Halmich. Not surprisingly, the
resulting perspective on the December 3 fight from that side of the
Atlantic, differed, considerably. Dr. Rybarczyk described the bout as "a
good close fight, but a clear decision (the official scores were 96-94
(2x) and 97-93, all for Halmich). Rybarczyk added, addressing the
"controversy", "You can be sure that the media and/or the public would
have gone mad if Elena had been treated unfairly. The public in Germany
is aware of good and bad judge decisions. Regina was confronted with
boos in her hometown after the first...bout. This time it was clear."
Dr. Rybarczyk, subsequently provided Regina Halmich's answers to my
specific questions about the December 3 fight. Halmich noted that she
made only slight changes for the second bout, "I changed some things
concerning the mental preparation. As you can see from my fight plan, I
was not as offensive during the first rounds as I am used to, I waited
for my chances and took them." Halmich also thought that Reid did not
change much from the first bout, "She was trying very hard, but could
not connect the way she wanted to."
Regina felt she was in control of the second fight, "more than the first
time and that's what the audience saw." She also said that she was not
in trouble at any time during the bout, but noted "Every hard punch
you.....take is like a strike of power, but (I was never) near a
knockdown." Halmich seems to have great respect for Reid and her ability
in the ring, "she is technically skilled (but) my last opponent Maria
Jesus Rosa had more power to go ten rounds with high speed. On the top
level, there are no weak opponents."
Asked whether she would consider coming to the United States for a third
bout with Reid, Halmich replied that "If I made the same money in the
U.S., I'd fight there of course. However, there is no big TV for Women's
boxing in the U.S., so why fight there? I have no problem fighting in
somebody else's backyard." (Halmich has fought outside Germany once, ten
years ago, losing a TKO in four rounds [a scheduled ten rounder] to
Yvonne Trevino in Las Vegas). She noted that "my next fight will
probably be in April/May. There are some quality fighters I'd like to
fight." As for how long she will keep competing, Regina stated "I have
always said I'd quit boxing when I am 30 in November, 2006."
Regina Halmich clearly feels she won the second fight and the judges
agreed with her and that is, really, all that counts. Halmich is a good
fighter and has been a good fighter for some time. So, too, is Elena
Reid; she's a good fighter who gets added credit for being one of the
handful of top fighters in the sport who goes where the fights are.
She's gone to Germany twice and, in reality, probably won the first
fight and lost the second. Against a fighter like Halmich that's no
small accomplishment. A third fight between these two would be a marquee
event in the sport and, in fairness, that third bout should be in the
U.S. But, Regina Halmich's point about the lack of TV coverage of
Women's boxing in this country is, unfortunately, well taken. As a
result, a compelling rivalry between two very good fighters is
essentially knocked out because the "empty suits" who program television
sports, in this country, confuse "names" with boxing skills. Thus, the
fans of Women's boxing get match-ups that fall far short of the skill
and competitiveness that Regina Halmich and Elena Reid bring to the
ring. Talk about a lousy decision.
Bernie McCoy
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