By: Sean Crose
Let’s get something straight – Danielito Zorrilla has no obligation to “stand and fight” as he takes on Regis Prograis for the Prograis WBC welterweight title Saturday night in New Orleans. It seems that there are some people who are not satisfied as the fight turned out to be not the fierce battle many expected. To be honest, their disappointment is understandable, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the underrated Zorrilla went to Prograis’ homeland to win, not to please others. fan with a skateboard shot – a shot he could have lost.
Of course, Zorrilla still ended up losing to Prograis on the referee’s card, but by employing a defensive strategy based on footwork and maintaining distance, he presented the talented Prograis with a considerable challenge. . Prograis, to his credit, took the opportunity and won the fight, but Zorrilla and his team used the best strategy they saw fit – and perhaps they were right in choosing the battle. that comb. Fans may prefer to let Zorrilla go out swinging, but the truth is that he has a better chance of winning by trying to frustrate his opponents.
The bottom line is, while slugfest is great (and the Hagler-Hearns is my personal favorite sporting event of all time), sometimes fighters have to use more than just strength and the use of their weapons. their punches to win the matches. Have you ever watched Clay/Ali-Liston 1? Ali has avoided punishment all this time. Have you ever seen Dempsey-Tunney 1? Tunney avoids mixing it up with the most effective violent boxer of his generation. Have you ever watched Whitaker-Chavez, Mayweather-Pacquiao or Hagler-Leonard? Suffice it to say that there are many examples of great warriors who intelligently refused to “stand and fight” in the face of fearsome opponents.
When all is said and done, it is worth remembering that boxing is a sport first and a form of entertainment second. While an all-out fight is always preferred when it comes to boxing, formal combat isn’t always a wise strategy for professional fighters. And professional boxers make money fighting to win. That means they can and should use the best possible strategy as long as it adheres to the rules of the sport. Just look at Ali. Or Leonard. Or tunnel. Or Mayweather. Or…
Undoubtedly, Prograis’s homecoming game back to his hometown of New Orleans last weekend was not a pretty one. However, Zorrilla has every right in the world to legally attempt to score.
