Friday, February 23, 2007

White-Kimbrough: My Take!!

Let me take this in two parts.

1. The fight itself. I am echoing the thoughts of many of you who believe that Dean White deserved at least a draw, if not the outright victory. I agree with that. I can't find any way in believing that Verquan Kimbrough won that bout. I thought White dictated the pace of the bout in the second half of the contest. He came forward and put Kimbrough on the defensive. That should have been enough for at least a draw.

Those of you who are not familiar with my work should know that I try to be as objective as humanly possible with my scoring of a bout. If I think a Beltway Boxer has lost a fight, I will say so. So I'm not saying this because White is a Beltway Boxer.

I do have a question. This may have been a mistake on ring announcer Michael Buffer's part, but Buffer announced the referee for the bout -- Tim Wheeler -- as one of the scoring judges. If that IS the case, then West Virginia is one of the few states in the country that still has the referee involved in the scoring. I would like clarification on that. It would be ironic since Wheeler was the one judge announced that saw the draw.

2. The second part of this take deals with the announcing of the fight. Bob Papa and Wallace Matthews are two very respected boxing people. Papa was the blow-by-blow man on ESPN prior to this job and Matthews is a long time boxing journalist for a number of New York based newspapers. Currently he is at Newsday.

With that said, their announcing of the White-Kimbrough bout was downright AWFUL!! I know this for a fact, when I first started covering boxing almost 20 years ago and there was a late change in the bout, it was very difficult to get pertinent and correct information about a late-arriving boxer. We all know that White took this bout on three days notice.

However, in today's world of the Internet, this is now a Google search. It was painfully clear that Papa and Matthews didn't know or didn't care to know anything about White because they either didn't expect a good performance out of him, or they expected Kimbrough to dominate the bout. When neither scenario took place, they were left hanging without information. They were EXTREMELY unprepared for this bout and it showed badly. The bout didn't go as they planned and they had no backup.

There has been enough discussion about White on this blog to fill at least four Google pages. The video of White's battle with Dorin Spivey is on the internet. Matthews does work with the same video producer that I work with, and probably could have received some video on White. There was absolutely no excuse for Papa and Matthews's callous and one-sided call of the action.

So it was a very frustrating night for all concerned. I join those in telling Dean White to keep his head up. White fought well, given the circumstances. I also suggest that West Virginia be taken off of his boxing travel plans for the rest of his boxing career.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gary

What a very good observation of the fight, we knew going in we had to knock him out or just plain beat him down to get a win, but as you mentioned in west backward ass virginia he should have at least received a draw. You wouldn't beleive the amount of people who came up to Dean after the fight and told him he was robbed, and these were kimbrough's fans not Dean's and you must of heard the fans booing the results of the fight and they sure as hell were not Dean's fans.And did i mention that kimbrough's manager is the owner of the mountaineer race track. Imagine that.

Doug

Anonymous said...

Doug,
I wonder if there is a way you can contest it. You guys are still going to be in Winchester on the 10th right? I am planning on being there.
Linda

Anonymous said...

wait a minute, kimbrough's manager is the owner of the racetrack? And there will be no formal protest to the commission about the decision? Come on...
But, thinking about it further, when you talk about Wally and Papa not doing their homework, don't you think Dean's people should be doing their homework, too? Why in the hell would you take that fight, when ALL the cards are stacked against you. It's a setup for a loss on the record. Homework needs to be done by everybody.

skinnyscott said...

Well Doug said they knew going in that they'd have to dominate. I'm sure the fight paid well and for the exposure, it was worth the risk against a guy they thought they could beat. I think Dean won the fight.

Anonymous said...

Well Dean took the fight with the expectation of it being a 8rd fight but with the possibility of it being a swing bout which means if the other fights were short fights then Dean would have to fight a 6rd fight, I guess that's where we goofed expecting an 8rd fight and instead fighting a 6rd. But if it was an 8rd fight you can bet that kimbrough would not had made it out of the 7th. So I guess your right we took a risk and it cost us. But he definetly beat him.

Doug

Anonymous said...

Gary

Thank you for your blog on Dean. I was also at the fight in West Virginia. The Kimbrough and the Monty Clay fight. If every one remembers on ESPN Dean and Monty clashed heads in the 1st round with 4secs left. The ref clearly saw what happened. I know I have the DVD. He did not call it a head butt and let the fight continue into the 6th round where the ref called a stop to the fight TKO. Dean was in this fight hurting Clay and the ref was afraid that Dean was going to upset the home town boy on ESPN.
Which leads me to Kimbrough. Guess who the ref was? The same ref as Clay. The ref did not take his eyes off of Dean the entire fight. All of you who have seen the "Pitbull" fight know that he fight's inside and rips the body. Everytime he got inside the ref would break them up. My point is these 2 fighters will not step out of there backyard and fight somewhere else. The refs know that and the commision knows that. In fact they are all probably at a buffet at the resort eating lunch together. Unfortunately Dean is the one who had to pay for there lunch. Dean you are a true Definition of a fighter. If all fighters had a heart and desire to win like you the sport of boxing would be Americas sport. Fans are proud of you. I know your wife and kids are proud you and thats all that really matters. Keep The Gloves Up.

Anonymous said...

DEAN WHITE LOST THAT FIGHT! I scored it and I think Dean lost big.

Anonymous said...

WV for ever. Of course you think Dean lost, you have the WV Flu like the rest of them. Digital got it right
except what should have been a 10-8 round for Dean when Kimbrough's kee went to the floor from a blow by dean
The refree sure tried to take Dean off his game just like he did when Dean fought (and beat) Clay last year

Anonymous said...

Of course Dean will fight in Winchester on March 10th. There won't be any WV Judges or referees there to play with the facts.

Anonymous said...

Is it true, as I heard that Kimbrough had just signed on with Top Rank for a tidy sum?

Anonymous said...

Oh don't forget the scaredy cat WVA boxers that wouldn't fight him outside crookedy WVA Border.

Anonymous said...

I scored 4 rounds of the bout pretty even. Dean fought with heart but he was sloppy. That may have hurt him a little. He kept pawing with his left for some reason and never really straightening it out. He needs to sharpen up and try to get a rematch and in return he will get more money. A big money fight is right around the corner for Dean White.

Mike in Manassas

Anonymous said...

At the worst I scored it a draw. I think Dean won because Kimbrough was inactive most of the time, he did not force the action. I think Dean scored the cleaner, harder blows. I think the ref did a bad job. In order for Kimbrough's head to come in contact Dean's that means he was also bending down. How do you call a head butt when both fighters are bending down? You could see this effected Dean.

Anonymous said...

Wake up CHUMPS! Dean Lost fair and square.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for everyone's support.I appreciate everyone's opinion-for or against me. I want to say THank You to Gary Digital Williams for keeping things real and saying it how it is.I will say after watching it I did not look sharp and was off. I shouldn't have let it go to the scorecard! Having said that I'm back to the gym preparing for the next-March 10th. CONGRATS Darnel Wilson!
Dean "Pitbull" White

Unknown said...

what can you expect from a ref that I am sure is related in some way to the local fighter as everyone in west by god virginia is related some way or another. Come on WV get out of the ice age as a ref has no business having anything to do with scoring a fight. especially one that has ripped Dean White off before when he clearly beat another hometown hick. If Kimbrough loses then there is no big payday coming on the next fight for him. A blind man could have scored that fight better. Dean hold your head high as you truly are a great fighter,father and husband so be proud and maybe soon refs like that might one day pull there heads out of there asses and do the right thing but dont hold your breath as we are talking about WV and they could,nt hit a bull in the ass with a baseball bat if they were standing next to it. unbiased opinions in this dying sport yeah right just ask the last crowd that witnessed you beating there hometown boy to a pulp. Kick ass and take names and if you would like a little help just say the word and I will be there. It is good exercise. GO Pitbull.

Anonymous said...

Ther referee was not a judge in the White fight. It was announced but he was not a judge. He was a judge in other bouts on the card. They judge one fight and maybe referee the next fight. Refs can't judge according to boxing commission rules in the US. Yes in England and a hand full of other countries.

The fight should have been a draw.

Mike

Anonymous said...

Beachr,

It would be in your best interest to learn how to spell and write a sentence before bashing others.

First, you can start by finishing your high School diploma.


Mike in Manassas

Anonymous said...

hey wv 4 ever 1.you have no idea what you saw, or you just wont admit it. dean white got robbed.2. leave yuor cousin alone.

Anonymous said...

hey wv 4 ever 1.you have no idea what you saw, or you just wont admit it. dean white got robbed.2. leave yuor cousin alone.

Anonymous said...

wv 4 ever

Everybody listen to wv 4 ever, because he certainly knows what he's talking about, I mean he judged it himself, he couldn't possibly be wrong could he? Unless he's an idiot who knows nothing about boxing. Do you work at the same auto parts store as lionel and his good buddy bobby joe bob richie.

Doug

Anonymous said...

Hey Gary

You said that you work for the same video producer as Matthews, have you asked him about his one-sided version of the fight?

Doug

Gary Digital Williams said...

No I havent, Doug. But the producer I work with also said Dean got robbed.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Gary

Doug

Anonymous said...

WV 4 EVER
Probably got his education at one of his family reunion and still sleeps
with a stuffed animal.

Anonymous said...

There was quite a piece on WV Boxing on Boxrec Web site. I think that the time is comming when no one worthwhile will ever box in WV. I guess they will just fight EACH OTHER. Isn't that what they do anyhow

Anonymous said...

I was born and raised in WV and I have never once slept with my sister. My cousin yes but sister no. Furthermore, Dean White lost that damn fight fair and square!!!

Anonymous said...

wv 4 ever

That's the way most of you hillbilly's are, next thing you know we'll see you on Jerry Springer.Sleeping with your cousin what the hell's wrong with you? You were probably hitting her while you were watching Dean's fight that why you thought he lost.