How protected was Kimbo Slice in CBS-televised fight?
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
I’m wrapping up reporting for an article that will be posted later today about the controversy surrounding unknown Seth Petruzelli’s upset knockout of Kimbo Slice in the main event of Saturday night’s Elite XC mixed martial arts show on CBS.
Petruzelli, who was a last-minute replacement for injured MMA veteran Ken Shamrock, told a Florida radio station Monday that Elite XC promoters ‘gave me the money to stand and trade with him. They didn’t want me to take him down.’ He has since amended his comments, and Elite XC officials say they’ve only directed their fighters to produce ‘exciting’ matches.
Yet, in light of the company’s tremendous financial struggles, questions persist about the measures Elite XC has taken to protect its top star -- an Internet street-fighting sensation made famous in his YouTube ‘Kimbo fights.’ By standing up instead of taking the fight to the ground, where Kimbo got beat up by a journeyman before gaining an unimpressive victory last time out, Petruzelli would be playing to Kimbo’s strength.
You’ll see comments from CBS analyst Frank Shamrock about this hot topic, and boxing promoter Richard Schaefer weighs in on the ethics of promoters providing direction to a fighter when representing both men in the cage.
-- Lance Pugmire
Mel Malcon / Los Angeles Times
