First boxing match

some sage advice here, about records, the fights themselves. . . follow it. and interview the boxers, for they all have stories -- even if they have to make one up, just to sound Oprah-worthy.


one last thing: fights almost never have accessible power or phone lines, so charge up your battery and start the night by finding either wireless hookup or a phone jack nearby.

 

Catch the chicken!

 

Lots of great advice guys. Thanks. Please keep it coming.

Now the most important question: How many references to Rocky V should I have in my story ... I'm thinking at least double digits.

(Forgot to use blue text, but I am kidding)

 

Following up on that, keep a napkin over your soda. Better yet, don't bring a drink to ringside.

 

Depending on the venue and the promoter, you may not be at ringside. The commission is required to have the seats right at ringside, flush with the ring, but the press (other than TV) is not always there. Sometimes the promoters have seating available for the press and sometimes they don't. Many promoters tend to give priorty to their sponsors and ticket-buyers and are unwilling to give up seats to reporters who don't pay for them.
One promoter I know tends to put the press tables a good distance from the ring, in one of the corners. The problem is that the area in front of the press table tends to be a popular place for fans to congregate and you spend half the night trying to get them to move.
I hate that setup, but since that promoter has never seen a cent from me and never will, I can understand it.

 

These are all some great ways to get ahead when covering your first boxing match. I have covered a few, including one which was small-time although one of the boxers was nationally ranked, and two which were championship bouts that included the biggest names in the business.

My best advice to you is very simple. READ all you can. Know your subjcets' background, history, etc. Everything you can know about these two boxers will help you find stories leading up to the fight and after.

Whether you research it on the web or old magazines, simply put: Read, Read, Read!

 

Make sure if it is a foreign fighter to get the name right. I covered a fight once and the guys last name was 3K Battery. I found out that many Thai fighters switch their names to accommodate sponsors.

The guy was named after his gym, upon further explanation, we found out what he used to be called in the ring. The killer was, the name on his passport was totally different than any of the names I used. Ridiculous.

Also, go to the pre-fight press conference and if the guy speaks English, get a 1-on-1 interview. Unless it is a mega superstar boxer, this is realtively easy.

I remember chatting with Diego Corrales (RIP) for about 20 minutes, it was some great stuff. the guy was so nice.

Boxers are the most approachable athletes i have covered. They always talk to the media and, unlike golfers, actually appreciate you talking to them. It helps that selling tickets to the event is important, so most of these guys are trained to be as accommodating as possible.

Also, if it is a major fight and a world title at stake --- DON'T BOTHER WITH THE PRESS CONFERENCE. It's useless if you are on deadline because sometimes these press conferences are 1/2 hour later at the earliest. Quotes will be given to you at ringside by the promotors' team. Usually, they are 2-3 quotes, but more than enough to file a gamer.

At some major fights, unless it is mega fight (Mayweather-De La Hoya level), or if it is a local guy fighting, most of the journalists don't even bother to go to the post fight press conference. You can never get a question in at those press conferences, and they are essentially useless for writers. Unless boxing is your beat, you won't get anything of usefulness.

 

Try Boxrec.com for the most accurate records available of the sport.

Fightnews.com is a good site to use as well for news.

 

Refer to the loser of the bout "as a strong candidate for pugilistic dementia."

 

Fight Fax is the most accurate, but it will cost you. By law, commissions are required to report all results to Fight Fax within 48 hours of the fights.
Boxrec is good, too. I have heard of some inaccuracies on its records, but it's free and still very reliable.

 

Pray there is a low-level women's fight on the card. Then you will see two people actually trying to kill each other. Haymakers all around.

 

Not much to add here.

The reading is important: Fight stories are soap operas. Try to place the fight (and the fighters) in context. Chances are, one is on his way up, the other on his way down.

If the opponent is from Ashtabula, Ohio, he is a paid stiff.

Don't sit behind Michael Katz. You won't be able to see a damn thing through that giant cranium (plus beard, plus flat cap, plus neck brace).

If Bert Sugar is there, don't look into his mouth. You haven't seen a dark, wet hole like that since you last fucked a slutty manatee.

This has nothing to do with nothing, but I want to hump the girl on TV with the Amazing Kreskin right now.

And last, fighters are the best quotes in the business. And whoever said the loser will be the better talker is right.