"CHEATERS NEVER PROSPER"...OR DO THEY?
BY STEPHEN S. JOHNSON
(IB-January 27, 2010) The newly crowned "king of boxing promotions", Oscar de la hoya, has decided that anyone caught cheating in boxing should be "banned for life".
Bob Arum, who according to de la hoya is now the "anti-christ of boxing promoters" for allowing Antonio Margarito a place on the Manny Pacquiao vs Joshua Clottey fight card.
Do we now have the current BIG TWO in professional boxing promotions calling each other out for misdeeds? Can either of these two actually perceive themselves as some sort of boxing messiah?
"Cheating" is a term relative to what the circumstances are. A man cheats on his wife and it sometimes is blamed on the wife not being affectionate enough. This man then feels vindicated for his wayward actions. A golfer uses the old "foot wedge" to get a better chance at making the green on his next shot because his opponent always talks so much crap when he wins. This golfer feels his actions were appropriate because of the circumstances. One fighter knows he cannot fight for very long because of his "soft hands". This fighter finds the one state (Nevada) that will allow him to use a pain killer to ease the discomfort. This fighter feels vindicated because the pain killers don't help him gain any edge.
Each of these scenarios is definitely cheating, but the perception of the cheater is what's disturbing. There has to be some consistency in what the action itself exposes.
The man that cheats on his wife, such as Tiger Woods, has deeper issues to deal with than just needing his wife to be more affectionate. The golfer who cannot tolerate his playing partner to win just because he'll have to hear all the crap has more issues. The fighter who takes pain killers and doesn't feel he gains any edge definitely has some issues.
The one constant in the term cheating is the alleged cheater seems oblivious to the fact that his act benefited him in some fashion. Whether monetarily, passionately or just bragging rights a cheater is also someone that clearly is a benefactor.
Oscar de la hoya less than a week ago made a trip to Guadalajara, Mexico. His purpose was to sign the 19 years old Mexican star, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (30-0-1, 22 KO's), to a mutli-fight contract. Problem is Tuto Zabala, Jr. claims to have a contract with the Mexican star. De la hoya says he "doesn't care. We (Golden Boy Productions) have a contract and that’s all that matters"...
Would any of you consider this cheating?
Bob Arum just recently made a deal with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to produce what will surely be the "coming out party" for the newly built Dallas Stadium. Jones has said many times that his new facility will accommodate any and all ventures. Arum made this move seemingly able to easily turn his back on the Las Vegas hotels and casinos that have been "boxing friendly" for what seems like an eternity.
Would any of you consider this cheating?
The real dilemma here is that for a "cheater", who has or will in the end benefit from his cheating, to then make statements that are in the very least hypocritical, provides us with what can be determined as a character flaw.
A man who cheats on his wife will have a tough time continuing to pal around with you, if you're married. Your friends character flaw would make it uncomfortable for you to hang out with thus guy because of the perception "cheaters hang together". Your wife would never allow this cheater to hang around.
A golfer who is known to cheat has a tough time finding playing partners. There's a perception that "if that guy cheats and that guy always plays with him therefore they must both be cheaters". This issue forces you to only play with the cheater when others are around to observe the character flaw, is not yours.
The fighter who cheats, whether by use of a pain killer, altered gloves or any other performance enhancer, should have a severe penalty imposed upon them for their actions. A gray cloud over all associated with the sport lingers if no action is taken.
Cheaters obviously have issues. They benefit by bending the rules for their own personal gratification. They seem unwilling or unable to recognize that they have been consumed by some type of self worth that, in their mind, leads them to some well deserved euphoria.
Bob Arum...cheater. Oscar de la hoya...cheater. Antonio Margarito...cheater. Shane Mosley...cheater...Floyd Mayweather, Jr...cheater. Tiger Woods...cheater.
The list of cheaters is all-inclusive. We all know cheaters that to some degree can be tolerated in avenues other than where we know they feel comfortable cheating. The problem is that most cheaters are allowed to prosper in their chosen field with little concern that their cheating ways may have some sort of "trickle down effect". Both Oscar de la hoya and Bob Arum are currently engaging in cheating and that cheating is leading them into a flawed sense of prosperity.
The personal self-gratification being enjoyed by de la hoya and Arum can easily be recognized by any wife that has been cheated on, any golfer that has witnessed his buddy using the old "foot wedge" and any promoter having unbelievably observe another promoter steal his fighter.
It has often been said that "cheaters never prosper".
Taking a long look at Oscar de la hoya, Bob Arum and the rest, I really have to wonder...
