All the Fists Flying Leave Him Seeing Stars

Fight on!

The sport is barbaric, the more blood flying the better for the screaming horde, and when it’s over, everyone is left waiting for the figure skating judges to tell us who won.

I hate it, I love it. Let them fight until only one of them is standing, stop the mayhem. The truth be told, the Super Bowl, World Series or WNBA finals, none of them have anything on the moments leading up to a big fight and the anticipation of watching two guys try and knock each other’s head off.

Throw in the stirring, and I can’t tell you what an understatement that is, camera shot of Shoshana Johnson sitting in a wheelchair, the American soldier captured and then rescued in the Iraqi war with “the land of the free and the home of the brave” being sung, and well, there are some moments not forgotten.

Then Shane Mosley comes marching in, every eye in the place on him, the music blaring, the chaos in the ring with handlers, band and officials adding to the scene, and I can’t think of anything to match it except maybe the bullpen gate opening for the seventh game of the World Series in Dodger Stadium for Eric Gagne.

A few seconds pass, and then Oscar De La Hoya is seen on the four overhead screens in the arena, and the noise is overwhelming, probably because everyone is screaming: “I’ve got money on this -- don’t let me down.”

It was so loud, it drowned out the hub-bub that greeted the arrival of Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher. He probably couldn’t hear me yelling, “Get a haircut.”

The crowd came to its feet in the fifth round, both fighters letting their gloves fly in the final 20 seconds, and for 20 seconds you could begin to understand why some people were willing to pay thousands of dollars for tickets.

When it came time for the 12th round, the fans were up again, both fighters met at center ring to hug and then Mosley went on the attack. De La Hoya countered, and everyone was on their feet. It was almost as exciting as a Laker playoff game.

There was another exchange of punches, the fans gasping, and I sure wish I had learned to type earlier in my career without looking at the keys because I guess I missed the double salchow that made Mosley the winner.

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FIGHT ON?

Now we’ll see if De La Hoya retires and becomes a full-time boxing promoter. He probably earned more than $20 million losing a second time against Mosley, and the temptation to get paid to strike out a third time might be tough to pass.

And the fact is, the paying customers came to watch De La Hoya. He was the draw, and such a big draw the media was told Kobe Bryant was on the list of folks who bought tickets, along with Rick Fox and Vanessa Williams. Disneyland all over again?

Before the fight began, Michael Buffer announced Kobe’s name in the ring, everyone craning their necks to check out the lower seats, but I didn’t see him. Maybe we’ll see him if they fight again. Maybe we won’t.

Ben Affleck was also supposed to be here for the fight. He was also supposed to get married this weekend to J-Lo. It had to be tough decision. There were reports the marriage ceremony had been canceled. Something about a fight. I’m not sure if they were talking about De La Hoya-Mosley.

Tiger Woods walked by. I asked him who he was picking. “I’m not,” he said. “I’m just here to see a great fight.” I made a decision right then and there not to talk to anyone who insists on remaining politically correct.

I talked to Charles Barkley. He said he was taking De La Hoya because he said Mosley had lost two fights to Vernon Forrest, and in the second fight it didn’t appear he wanted to be hit any more and he was running from the punches. I’d like to ask Barkley now if he agreed with the decision.

I stopped actor Dennis Quaid. Asked him who he liked in the fight. “De La Hoya. Revenge,” he said, and I imagine it’s pretty tough on these movie actors to say much more without a script.

Never ran into anyone who picked Mosley, except the judges.

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FRIDAY’S WEIGH-IN attracted a large crowd, and the right side of the arena spontaneously coming to their feet at one point. Max Kellerman, the host for ESPN’S “Around the [screaming] Horn,” turned and waved to the crowd thinking they had noticed his arrival. The crowd, however, was not cheering the lightweight’s entrance, but rather the arrival of heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis.

Lewis was interviewed for the benefit of the crowd, and when asked who was going to win the fight, he said, “As soon as the bell rings we’re going to find out.” Obviously Lewis is no George Foreman (HBO broadcaster).

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BILL CAPLAN, publicist for the fight, said he invited two celebrities: the Dodgers’ Tom Lasorda and comedian Paul Rodriguez.

I asked if they got their tickets free.

“Paul bought a pair of $1,200 tickets,” Caplan said. “Tommy? You know better than that. He worked for his tickets, pulling a 12-hour shift talking to radio stations around the country Friday from the media room.”

Keep in mind they were serving free food in the media room all day.

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BEFORE THE fight, Magic Johnson and Lasorda were talking about the good old days in L.A.

“The Dodgers were in the World Series, the Lakers were winning championships, and if we weren’t, we right there in the mix,” Magic said. “Even the Raiders were winning.”

Now we have to rely on the Sparks to win it all.

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TODAY’S LAST word comes from a Trojan fan, who has been behind the team now for two whole weeks:

Fight on!

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T.J. Simers can be reached at t.j.simers@latimes.com.