Most of the time, a fighter’s fists take a ton of abuse without appreciation. FKD’s newest correspondent, The Outsider, thinks boxing needs to show some love to the lesser known fighters.
By
Ramsen Goriel
May I have your attention please? Boxing purists, promoters, and fighters, I have one problem with boxing today. Where is the love for the less recognized fighters? It seems like Bob Arum, and Golden Boy, won’t promote them. So I will at least try to give them some recognition in this article. I must warn you, these names are unfamiliar to boxing fans. But after reading this, your boxing IQ will rise faster then you can say Poonsawat Kratingaenggym, who is a junior featherweight with a record of 35-1. Who would have thunk it? I’ll call him PK 47. PK 47 isn’t exactly the face or name of boxing. But with boxing struggling to maintain its credibility, he could be. Ok, maybe not. Anyhow, here are some unfamiliar fighters:
Oleg Maskev: Heavyweight (34-6) Maskaev is best known by his jaw crushing punch that knocked Hasim Rahman out of the ring. However, the former WBC champion’s knockout was overlooked when referee Steve Smooger got hit in the head by a chair. But hey, the big O needs some love too. After all, he is a former champion.
Krzysztof Włlodarczyk: Cruiserweight (38-2) I dare you to try and say this guy’s name. A regular guy from the neighborhood has a better chance of beating him in a street fight then pronouncing his name. That was not an insult to Włlodarczyk as a boxer but damn, this dudes name looks like I just aimlessly typed on my keyboard. Włlodarczyk is not a bad fighter. He is former IBF champion. Hopefully boxing fans will get to know Włlodarczyk a little better when he faces Steven Cunningham for the third time in an IBF title fight.
Sergei Dzindziruk: The Junior Middleweight, (35 -0) also known as the razor, is an undefeated Ukrainian southpaw. He won the WBO belt against Daniel Santos, and successfully defended his title three times. Dzindziruk looks to become a household name if he changes his name. However, not even a bout with Oscar De La Hoya would help his chances to become a well known fighter.
Yodsanan Nanthachai: Super featherweight (55-3-1) I would advise you not to try to pronounce this guys name. Nanthachai is from Thailand, and his nickname is 3-K Battery, which is almost unique as his real name. In 2002 the 3-K Battery won the WBA super featherweight title by defeating Lakva Sim. Nanthachai knocked out Rodel Orais in his last fight. However, the Thai fighter could soon be working on the battery factory production lines, unless he becomes Zab Judah’s next tune up fight.
Listed above are examples of some strangely named boxers that are, or were, at one time, good fighters. However, with little recognition, the boxing spotlight will not shine on them. We need to acknowledge the boxers that will receive low appreciation. A 35-1 record deserves respect no matter what your name is. Keep in mind these fighters have all been champions. They may not be the big money making boxer that draws a big Las Vegas crowd, but they probably have just as much heart as the big name boxers and in some cases deserve the big pay check.
