http://www.boxingnewsonline.net JULY 4, 2019 lBOXING NEWSl 31
be afraid to ask for help and remember this at all times: you
have never cracked it. Also, have a thick skin. Not everyone is
going to like you.”
Back in December, the 59-year-old was part of what he
believes was one of boxing’s biggest nights when Tyson Fury
rolled back almost three years of bad living, drug abuse and
depression to almost take the WBC title away from Deontay
Wilder.
One of the highlights of the draw was the pre-fight
shenanigans between the two fighters, yet despite enjoying the
theatrics, Dempsey was quick to point out that there is always
the potential of someone paying the price. “With Fury and
Wilder a lot of it is pantomime, but there can be flashpoints,”
he warned.
“We always overlook that if one of them got injured in all
the pushing and shoving then the fight would be off. I cannot
deny that it adds to the noise and interest level – dull press
conferences don’t do much to sell fights.
“It turned into one of the best heavyweight title fights I have
worked on. Fury produced a miracle to get off the deck [in
round 12] – that was one of the most amazing things I have
seen. He performed brilliantly on his biggest night so far.I believe Wilder deserves a bit more credit for how coolly he
stalked his man and waited for his chance. He is a phenomenal
puncher even if technically not correct.”
That one was hidden behind a paywall, though. PPV is part
and parcel of boxing, much to the annoyance of the fans.
Dempsey understands their indignation, while arguing that it
means we get far more coverage than we have ever had before.
“Obviously regulation of piracy is a big issue for TV companies
right now. Yes, I understand that there are frustrations and
people do live on a budget. It is up to people to exercise their
right not to purchase an event. But remember the promoters
and TV companies are taking a financial risk and without pay
TV top fighters would not make anything like the same money.
“What really annoys me is that people hark back to some
half-forgotten never-never land, when in reality there was
never anything like the same breadth of coverage. And please
can we stop this nonsense about ‘free-to-air television’. It’s only
‘free’ once you’ve paid your compulsory licence fee.”
Naturally, some fans will baulk at the statement above, but
did you really expect an interview with even a beloved cult
figure like Dempsey to be plain sailing? On and off the mic, you
know what to expect when “The Dominator” is in town. bn