EXODUS Boxing Promotions director Anthony Mwamba reacted with righteous disappointment to last week’s column headlined “Esther’s opponent a nonentity?” because the column appeared to doubt the calibre of Kenyan boxer Everline Odero who gave a good account of herself against Zambian icon Esther Phiri.
To recap, I said, among others, I didn’t know what kind of fighter Evelyn was because her name did not appear anywhere on the www.boxrec.com website, a respected and reliable register of all professional boxers worth their salt world-wide.
I can assure Mwamba, as I did when we spoke on the phone, that what I wrote was not intended to cast aspersions on him as a promoter, the calibre of Everline, her trainer and the Kenyan boxing authorities.
When there is a boxing tournament, no matter which stable is promoting, the promoters always invite me to attend press briefings and or weigh-ins. In this particular case, I wasn’t invited to any press briefing before the fight. Such invitations give me a chance to talk to the boxer (s) directly and certain details like the correct spelling of names and fight records will be obtained from the horses’ mouth.
In the absence of this, however, I get boxers’ records from this trusted source www.boxrec.com and the calibre of any professional boxer anywhere whose name cannot be found there should be doubted.
Having missed the press briefing, to which I wasn’t invited (Mwamba apologised to me for this omission), I relied on the information from the mainstream media some of which did not have the fight record at the time I wrote the column. And Esther’s opponent was named Evelyn Odoro instead of Everline Odero, the correct name, available on the website.
So, right from the start, I was misled because I browsed for Evelyn Odoro instead of Everline Odero. The lesson from this is that accuracy is the life-blood of journalism. I hope this helps to clear the air and to set the record straight.
Coming to the fight, I must say fans were entertained to an enthralling, grueling 16-minute contest in which, despite her two- year absence from the ring, Esther still showed her sparkle of yester years which made her a multi-division titlist.
Naturally, most fans expected Esther to make short work of the rugged Odero, but the Kenyan held her own. The question is, is Esther as good as she once was going by her performance last week?
There are two ways of answering this question. First, some fans argue that she’s not the same because she did not win by knock out. It should be noted, however, that even at her peak, Esther did not win all her fights by KO. She has five KOs from 14 wins two draws and a loss in 18 fights.
Second, it can also be argued that the Kenyan was good enough to make Esther look ordinary; that is to say, Esther’s best was not good enough or that she has declined. From where I stand, I think Esther is still good although I noticed she was slow at times in capitalizing on her opponent’s weakness.
In round five, I think, she had pummeled the Kenyan enough and all she needed was finish her off, but she appeared to wait. In boxing, however, one should be careful not to rush just because an opponent seems ‘finished.’ Some opponents lay traps to surprise you with an unexpected punch. In boxing one punch can change everything.
Everline proved that she’s tough and durable, but what helped her survive the distance were the clinches for which referee Maybin Kante deducted her a point. I think Esther was capable of stopping her opponent whom she gave a black eye had the Kenyan not resorted to the incessant holding. mwale.simon@yahoo.co.uk   0966 755574/0953744074