A paradoxical story broke today, with the shockingly unpredictable news that Oscar De La Hoya, Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez' promoter and chief hype man has been checked into rehab today, meaning he will miss being present at the fight that will probably break his own PPV record from many years ago.
Oscar has an unfortunate history of substance abuse problems that he talked about frankly the first time they were revealed, that were present in his later career and during the years since Manny Pacquiao sliced and diced him into retirement in 2008.
This is a boxing blog, so I have no wish to go into great detail on the issues of addiction and substance abuse. But, the timing of this, so close to the fight, would suggest to me that Oscar is having some very real and very serious problems; the cracks and fissures of his addiction couldn't be papered over for 4 or 5 more days and so the Golden Boy goes back into treatment once again.
This is a massive fight to miss. In a sport where promotion will always err on the side of outrageous hyperbole, the fight's moniker of 'The One' is fairly deserved right now. It's undoubtedly the biggest fight of this young decade, and it hasn't even happened yet. As my blog struggles along with 1 or 2 views a day in its infancy, I can tell you the pages that receive actual views invariably have Mayweather v Canelo in the title.
This is not a decision that could've been taken lightly, or perhaps even willingly.
It's an ongoing battle that blights the lives of many of the sports most illustrious fighters after they have finished their careers.
If boxing is heroin, then the methadone substitute for fighting usually involves becoming a promoter, or trainer, or pundit, or all three. If these morsels of reflected glory do not surfice, then take lots and lots of drugs.
In the UK, Ricky Hatton had a cocaine expose. Joe Calzaghe also. Frank Bruno was sectioned at one point, and was sleeping in his back garden in the ring that he had retained from one of his previous title fights. Only last week, Mike Tyson claimed to be on the brink of death and declared his recent 6 days of sobriety a miracle.
It raises questions to which I have no answer. Are these men risk takers for life? Searching for another high? Damaged by the sport? Or always damaged, and looking for more? Numbing the pain? I don't know.
These men were superstars, and once they have stepped (or have been carried) out of the ring for one last time, they don't suddenly become nobodies overnight. Iron Mike must have people talking boxing with him every hour of every day he is out in public. There's only so many photos you can take with a clinched fist raised robotically beneath your chin.
Which makes you wonder how the journeymen get on once they have hung up the gloves. If you are a tomato can, an opponent hired to be knocked unconscious on a monthly basis , how do you feel when it's all over? Relieved? Probably not.
Tooposhtopunch wishes Oscar a speedy recovery, and hope he will be back at ringside with his unique blend of off-the-wall pre-fight hype as soon as possible.
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