Protect yourself at all times.
It's a simple, but important rule in the fight game. Usually, if not always, one must keep his hands up in order to achieve this important element. There are bound to be a few exceptions to this rule, but unless your name is Roy Jones, Jr. (the old RJJ, not the old RRJ) I cannot think of any.
Yuriorkis Gamboa (10-0), a highly touted, highly skilled super featherweight from Cuba, had better learn this one fast.
In Gamboa's recent encounter with the decent but unspectacular Darling Jiminez, Gamboa found himself on the mat for the first time in his career. That's usually nothing to be ashamed of, but in Gamboa's case it was something to be ashamed of.
Not to take anything away from Jiminez, but Gamboa is light years ahead of him in speed, talent, skill, pedigree, and just about any other thing you can think that would be of use to a fighter.
Well, except maybe class.
Gamboa not only consistently left his hands down at his side the entire fight, he also made a point to show his disdain for good sportsmanship by constantly pushing the other challenger to the mat. Gamboa should be ashamed, and HBO's Boxing After Dark team should be ashamed for not calling it for what it was.
Sure, HBO has a vested interest in a 10-0 fighter who may become a world champion soon, but that has never kept HBO folk from telling it like it is before. Have you ever seen Larry Merchant interview Bernard Hopkins? Or hear the team discuss the obvious character flaws of Floyd Mayweather, Jr.?
And these are established fighters, all time greats.
But Gamboa got a free pass from HBO, and he won the fight to boot, essentially getting a free pass for his career. One of these free passes should come to haunt him soon, though. Something tells me Gamboa didn't learn his lesson from his quick fall to the canvas (he was never really hurt). Something tells me when he fights someone with a punch it will be lights out for him. And something tells me HBO needs to step up to the plate and call it like it is next time.
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