Well, we are several days into what could have been a sports story of dubious ethics and regulatory chaos. And (surprise, surprise) we’re no closer to getting to the bottom of that mess than we were when the controversy first broke out.
On Sunday, word spread in the online Pugilistic Universe that Tony Weeks, the guy at the center of another “stopped the fight too early” controversy in Vergil Ortiz’s first-round stoppage of the outmatched Fredrick Lawson, Saturday night in Las Vegas, he had made public an explanation of his actions.
Writing via an (unverified) Facebook page (in a since-deleted post), the veteran referee had this to say:
“What the public didn’t know is that before the fight they did a brain scan and it turned out he had an aneurysm, and they did a test again and the same aneurysm showed up. They brought in another doctor and did the same test and he tested negative for the aneurysm, so they gave him the go-ahead to fight.”
And, as social media erupted with “huh?” Collectively, the boxing media collectively shrugged their shoulders and instinctively blamed Weeks for “throwing the commission/promotion under the bus.”
Golden Boy, who promoted that night of mismatches on DAZN culminated by the worst, issued the following response through social networks (curiously, using the “creepy” filter of his photo editor):
“Fredrick Lawson was cleared by a doctor licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission to fight Saturday night. All other questions should be referred to the NSAC.”
Shortly after, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) intervened.
An email from the commission to the media said:
“On January 6, 2024, a contest between Vergil Ortiz and Fredrick Lawson took place in Las Vegas, Nevada. The contest was under the jurisdiction of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The health and safety of unarmed combatants competing in the State are “It is essential for the Commission. All contestants in the event were subject to full medical examinations and were cleared by medical experts to compete without restrictions. “The Commission and its Executive Director will continue their ongoing practice of reviewing the performance of their officers during and after an event.”
Well, that settles it. Obviously. Since then, the media has barely said a word. There were a couple of anonymous statements from “sources” who said Lawson was medically cleared to fight, but that was never really the issue. Of course, he eventually received clearance to fight. There are still many things to resolve. Or, at least, discussed…a little…maybe?
The commission’s fanatics and the bootlickers of the promotional companies have jumped to the defense of “their” side. Weeks was clearly lying, trying to save his job. There is no way a fighter can fail a brain test and still be allowed to fight!
However, there IS a fairly traceable history of commissions and promotions working hard to circumvent failed tests and “save” an event. There was a time when Edwin Valero, for example, had failed multiple brain tests…until he found the “right” doctor on the “right” commission. Officer Lanardo Tyner, who failed an EEG (electroencephalography), also found a quick path back to the ring when he got to the “right” doctor performing the “right” tests.
There are many other cases of this type of sleazy, dangerous and unethical behavior, but they are harder to find in the present tense because the mainstream media has abandoned boxing and, well, look who we have covering the sport now: BOXING Media.
Golden Boy, given Vergil Ortiz’s long and recent streak of frustrating canceled fights, would have been extremely (and aggressively) eager to NOT have another last-minute Ortiz fight cancellation. The NSAC, given Golden Boy’s recent promise to bring more fights to Las Vegas, might also have been very eager to appease the promotion by keeping the Ortiz fight alive.
None of this is to say that Golden Boy or the NSAC are guilty of any crime. However, it is worth considering the possibility. It’s worth investigating, just as much as the questions surrounding Weeks are worth investigating. For example, why was Weeks informed of the results of such tests, and then why did he decide to officiate a fight that he clearly felt could be headed for tragedy? The decision to referee a fight that he was determined to stop early was going to be a loss for everyone, including the fans.
The only certain thing in all of this, however, was that Fredrick Lawson, a career welterweight with poor punch resistance and skills/abilities that made him a guaranteed human sacrifice for a busting prospect/monster, never belonged in the team. ring with Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Just a day earlier, with a glaring mismatch between Ortiz and Lawson looming, the sycophantic boxing media was amused by Golden Boy founder and front man Oscar De La Hoya sipping champagne (or was it wine?) as they They were giving a tour of La Hoya’s new mansion in Las Vegas. Nobody uttered a critical word. The day was all happiness, sunshine, and “look at me in a mansion” posts on social media. Those are our boxing means.
“We want to make 2024 a special year,” De la Hoya told the joyful reporters gathered before him. “We appreciate everything you do and I know you appreciate everything we do and that’s why we want to make this a family… Boxing IS a family… and we’re just getting started.”
