By Thomas Gerbasi - It was probably the one conversation Lou DiBella didn’t think he would ever be having, at least not about Jermain Taylor. But it was going to be a necessary chat where the answer would determine where the relationship between promoter and fighter stood.
“Here’s what I want to know,?said DiBella to one of the specialists that had checked out Taylor, a former middleweight champion attempting a comeback after two years off from a sport that had seen him lose four of his last five bouts, three by knockout. “If this was your kid, would you let him fight??
“No,?said the doctor. “I wouldn’t let my kid fight, period. But if you’re asking me if I would let this man fight vis a vis the level of risk versus any other athlete who gets in the ring and participates in a combat sport, I can’t tell you that there’s any reason why this man can’t fight and at any greater risk than anybody else.?
DiBella accepted the answer, like he accepted the others he received from the Mayo and Cleveland Clinics, as well as the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which voted 5-0 in favor of licensing Taylor in October.
Two years earlier, in December of 2009, DiBella resigned his post as his first world champion’s promoter, not wanting to see the Arkansas native risk his health in the ring after suffering a scary knockout at the hands of Arthur Abraham on October 17, 2009.
“I walked away from a number of other fighters, and I’ve released fighters who I knew still had some economic value and wound up fighting for other promoters because I just felt in my gut that the time had come for them to call it a day,?DiBella told BoxingScene. “It’s not an easy decision, and ultimately, you gotta live with yourself. You gotta look in the mirror. This is often referred to as a hurt business, and it’s an unforgiving business. And when it’s unforgiving in the sense of a bad decision that costs a guy his economic career, that’s unfortunate and terrible; but when it’s unforgiving in the sense of a guy that’s never the same mentally or emotionally or psychologically, or dies young like the Quarrys and leaves family behind, that’s tragic. If I could avoid a tragedy for a few bucks, it doesn’t make me Mother Teresa to do that. It doesn’t make me a great guy to do that; it’s just the right thing to do.?[Click Here To Read More]
“Here’s what I want to know,?said DiBella to one of the specialists that had checked out Taylor, a former middleweight champion attempting a comeback after two years off from a sport that had seen him lose four of his last five bouts, three by knockout. “If this was your kid, would you let him fight??
“No,?said the doctor. “I wouldn’t let my kid fight, period. But if you’re asking me if I would let this man fight vis a vis the level of risk versus any other athlete who gets in the ring and participates in a combat sport, I can’t tell you that there’s any reason why this man can’t fight and at any greater risk than anybody else.?
DiBella accepted the answer, like he accepted the others he received from the Mayo and Cleveland Clinics, as well as the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which voted 5-0 in favor of licensing Taylor in October.
Two years earlier, in December of 2009, DiBella resigned his post as his first world champion’s promoter, not wanting to see the Arkansas native risk his health in the ring after suffering a scary knockout at the hands of Arthur Abraham on October 17, 2009.
“I walked away from a number of other fighters, and I’ve released fighters who I knew still had some economic value and wound up fighting for other promoters because I just felt in my gut that the time had come for them to call it a day,?DiBella told BoxingScene. “It’s not an easy decision, and ultimately, you gotta live with yourself. You gotta look in the mirror. This is often referred to as a hurt business, and it’s an unforgiving business. And when it’s unforgiving in the sense of a bad decision that costs a guy his economic career, that’s unfortunate and terrible; but when it’s unforgiving in the sense of a guy that’s never the same mentally or emotionally or psychologically, or dies young like the Quarrys and leaves family behind, that’s tragic. If I could avoid a tragedy for a few bucks, it doesn’t make me Mother Teresa to do that. It doesn’t make me a great guy to do that; it’s just the right thing to do.?[Click Here To Read More]
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