The personal reasons are simple – I have a wife, four kids, two jobs, and not enough time or energy for the creative process.

The professional reasons are more complex, but they boil down to this: I’m tired and discouraged and disillusioned with the small-minded people who think they can realize their big dreams by thinking small thoughts.  These people are called promoters and matchmakers.  I alluded to the difficulty of dealing with these people in a recent article, and more recent developments have crystalized my thoughts on the issue.

I wish all the best to Minnesota’s fighters, both amateur and professional.  I have never had a confrontation with any fighter for any reason, and some of them are among the nicest, most well-balanced people I have ever met.  I have only the highest regard for the officials (judges, referees, administrators, etc) who make it all possible.  And as far as the promotions are concerned, I hope they all have just enough success to keep trying.

What’s next?  I’ll finish a couple of in-progress articles – especially the long-gestating profile of Gary Eyer that should have been (would have been) published last night if not for a major blog-host snafu.  Then I’ll turn out the lights and revert to being just a fan, which is good enough for anyone.

Thanks for reading.

Minnesota-based smallweight fighter Willshaun Boxley is in New York at this hour, preparing for tonight’s match with unbeaten Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczewski (8-0, 2 kayos) of Quincy, Mass.

Like Boxley, Kielczewski is a solid, well-built fighter.  Unlike Boxley, Kielczewski is a natural lightweight – Boxley has fought from 122 to 133#, but is a naturally smaller man.  Also unlike Boxley, Kielczewski is not a puncher; though unbeaten, he has stopped only two of his eight opponents.  Here’s the caviat for Boxley: Kielczewski compiled an amateur record of 118-26 and won the New England Golden Gloves twice, finishing as runner-up in his class at the 2008 Nationals.

Boxley, who bills himself as “The One,” is as always confident that he’ll perform well.  This time, however, Boxley is reluctant to predict an outcome on the rationale that predicting a knockout sets a fighter up to waste energy trying to end his fight early, while predicting a win by decision suggests a lack of confidence.

Saturday night in Iowa City, boxing fans will have the chance to see sixteen fights for one admission – five amateur Muay Thai and eleven professional boxing bouts.  Of course, as they say, “Nothing is final until it is final,” but here’s the card as it’s expected to play out.  If you’re on the fence about whether to go, the bang-for-the-buck factor may be the decisive determinant.  You can call promoter Adam Pollack at 319-338-1633 for ticket information.

Boxing:

Main Event – Emily Klinefelter (9-0 with 3 kayos) -vs- Christina Ruiz (5-3-1 with 3 kayos), super bantamweights, scheduled for 6 rounds

Dan Almeida (3-0 with 3 kayos) -vs- Michael Limpy (debut), welterweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

Johnny Garcia (4-0 with 3 kayos) -vs- Reggie Nash (9-26-1 with 2 kayos), light welterweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

Jacob Mangum (2-0 with 2 kayos) -vs- Kurt Brandt (2-0 with 2 kayos), cruiserweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

George Carter Jr (1-0 with 1 kayo) -vs- Wade Ervin (0-1), middleweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

Lance “Ray” Rogers (debut) -vs- Joey Nguyen (0-1), lightweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

Andre Wilson (11-5-1 with 9 kayos) -vs- Levi Martin (0-1), lightweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

Curtis Tate (2-0 with 2 kayos) -vs- Jerry Mosley (debut), heavyweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

Monyette Flowers (6-10-1 with 4 kayos) -vs- Billy Hayes (debut), middleweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

Marvin “Papi Gallo” Jones (1-0 with 1 kayo) -vs- Terry Aldridge (0-1), heavyweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

Travis Fulton (14-25 with 14 kayos) -vs- Chris Tish (debut), heavyweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

Amateur Muay Thai:

• Jonathan Greene, Iowa City, vs. Adam Blake, Iowa City, light heavyweights
• Josh Johnson, Iowa City, vs. Adrian McMullen, Washington, junior welterweights
• Zac Ashoff, Iowa City, vs. Eric Thomas, Carthage, IL, middleweights
• Damien Roth, Iowa City, vs. Lonnie Scriven, Cedar Rapids, light heavyweights
• Shane Burtzlaff, Iowa City, vs. Marc Tong Van, Cedar Rapids, lightweights

The Fistic Mystic says: Hassan Wasswa and Marcus Oliveira may yet redeem a portion of the honor of Midwestern boxers this weekend, as both are scheduled for action on Saturday night the 29th.  Wasswa, a Ugandan transplant living in Minneapolis, fights Steve Cannell in Nova Scotia and Wisconsin-born Oliveira is scheduled to chew up and spit out an opponent named Jenkins in Detroit.

• Corey Rodriguez has gone 1-1-2 in the last 18 months, against four opponents whose combined record at the time he fought them is 24-4.  Rodriguez hopes to grant his career some momentum as he faces unbeaten (9-0) welterweight Achour Esho in Chicago on Friday night.  Catch Rodriguez’s remarks about the fight and his opponent here and here.
• Joey Abell is taking a chance – a big one – facing 29-2 Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola in Temecula, California.  The risk-reward factor is what makes this match such an attractive gamble for the big boxer/bomber from Champlin, MN.  Though a natural athlete with a beard like a copper kettle, Arreola has never taken his conditioning seriously and has failed to develop or refine his boxing skills since turning pro in 2003.  In a marked contrast of dispositions, Abell is a conditioned and disciplined boxer whose luck and chin have not yet shown equal to his speed and power.  This fight will be televised on ESPN2′s Friday Night Fights.
• Also making the trip to California, but definitely not just tagging along, is Jon Schmidt.  ”The Iron Man” is matched against a red-hot prospect in former Olympian Shawn Estrada (10-0 with 9 knockouts).  Some will say that Schmidt is just cashing in or will only be interested in lasting the six-round distance, but Schmidt is known to be a workout fiend with pride and fire to spare.  Don’t be surprised if Schmidt goes for broke against the favored Estrada.
• Hassan Wasswa is slated to face Canada’s Steve Cannell in Halifax, Nova Scotia on Saturday night.  It’s a rematch for the always  game Wasswa, who was shut out by Cannell in June of 2010.
• Marcus Oliveira fights for the first time since July when he meets 21-17-1 Demetrius Jenkins, a former a fringe contender-turned swaybacked trial horse, at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan.  This fight is a supporting bout on the undercard of Saturday’s Devon Alexander-Timothy Bradley event.

• Of interest to those who saw Edwin Rodriguez and Aaron Pryor Jr win their fights with James McGirt Jr and Dyah Davis at Fargo’s Scheels Arena on November 13th: Rodriguez and Pryor face each other in a super middleweight bout tonight on ESPN.    Though Pryor (15-2 with 11 kayos) has a pronounced advantage in height and reach, those seem to be his only advantages over Rodriguez (17-0 with 13 kayos), a hot prospect approaching contender status, who will be widely favored.  The Friday Night Fights broadcast will originate from beautiful Key West, Florida.  Peter Manfredo -vs- Daniel Edouard tops the bill and the broadcast.
• Joey Abell, who faces Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola in California on January 28th, will be accompanied on the road by fellow ACR Gym denizen Jon Schmidt (10-1 with 6 kayos).  Schmidt is slated to face former Olympian Shawn Estrada (10-1 with 9 kayos) of East Los Angeles in a six-rounder.
• Seconds Out Promotions brings us an IBF light heavyweight title eliminator on February 4th.  The fight will feature Otis Griffin and Yusuf Mack.  At this time the Fistic Mystic has no information on the undercard.
  
  

  Emily Klinefelter (9-0 with 3 KOs)

• On February 5th in Iowa City, Adam Pollack of Win by KO Promotions will present a mixed show with amateur Muay Thai (4-5 bouts) and professional boxing (6-8 bouts) at the Johnson County fairgrounds.  The show will be headlined, as usual, by one of the Klinefelter girls.  The one sure thing on the card so far is the main event, which will pit super bantamweight Emily Klinefelter (9-0 with 3 kayos) against Christina Ruiz (5-3 with 3 kayos).  Tickets are available at Sushi Kicchin at the Old Capital Mall or by calling Win by KO Promotions at 319-338-1633.  The fairgrounds is located at 4261 Oak Crest Hill Road in scenic Iowa City.
• Hortons Boxing presents a once-postponed show in Duluth on February 12th.  It can be confirmed that the following fights have been inked: RJ Laase -vs- Hector Orozco (rematch), Al Sands -vs- Zach Ziegler, and Aaron Green -vs- Jordan Ziegler.  Gary Eyer hasn’t been matched yet but is still expected to appear on the card.
• Philip Adyaka is now managed by Scott Tolzmann.  It was originally believed that Adyaka would fight Gary Eyer in Duluth on February 12th, but Adyaka is now penciled in opposite Jonathan Perez for the 26th of February at Grand Casino Hinckley.  As of Thursday night the Hinckley show was reportedly 99% confirmed.  The headlining bout there is the much-anticipated rematch of Caleb Truax-Phil Williams, which ended in a surprising Split Draw back in April of 2010.  In that fight Truax had swept the early rounds but Williams took that last couple of rounds with effective power punching – it looked like a decisive points win for Truax until the scores were read, but in the end it’s the scorecards that do the deciding.  Supporting that bout is an interesting mix of fighters from Seconds Out Promotions and Midwest Sports Council (MSC).  Could this signal an era of greater cooperation between the two promotions?  That’s an eventuality that this writer has persistently hoped for, and in print.

Clouds:

Politics – It seems that many people in boxing have their own agendas, and their own Machiavellian ideas of how to achieve their goals.  When you become a boxing writer you must know this: the person who whispers sweet compliments in your ear today will be insulting you tomorrow.  The person who was a trusted and reliable source yesterday will try to feed you false information today.  The person who detested you a month ago will want to be your best friend a month from now, and when they  realize that what they want isn’t forthcoming, or even when they get what they wanted, they’ll drop you like a hot rock.  The person who has won your respect with their moderate attitude and thoughtful contemplations in public will turn out to be a complete ass in private.  And some people will try to use you to prosecute their own vendettas or further their own careers, and they’ll threaten and ultimately discard you if you fail to cooperate.  Because people have their own agendas, you’ll never know what they’re going to say or do next, and once it’s done, you’ll probably never know why they said or did it.  Even worse, some of them – because they’re such conniving and manipulative sheisters themselves – just can’t accept good will when they find it.  The idea that anyone could be without a secret agenda is so impossible for them to accept that in their misguided minds they fabricate one for you.  This is the aspect of the business/game of boxing that I find most repellant.

It’s an expensive hobby - Aside from the travel and the meals on the road and the lost weekends, I once had to pay more than $300 for repairs to a borrowed laptop computer.  I didn’t damage it – a fighter and a promoter broke the display when they climbed over the press table to enter a ring after a fight, but I’ve never mentioned it to either of them.  To mention it to them would be unseemly, and to try to collect money would be scandalous.

The egos are obnoxious – Recently I was accused of being arrogant.  Yes, I who have so little to be arrogant about.  Yet I have to confess it’s probably true.  Find me a writer who isn’t arrogant – considering that the writer lays himself open every time he writes, displaying both his knowledge of the subject and his inner thoughts, excessive self-confidence (or the ability to fake it) is practically a prerequisite for sportswriting!  But fighters are the same way – they have to be self-confident to get in the ring, and most fit and healthy young men have narcissistic tendencies anyway (I know, I was one many years ago myself).  Toss in a few fawning females and a promoter or matchmaker who will say anything to get what he wants from the fighter, and you’ve got a recipe for a considerably overinflated ego.  But the fighters aren’t all egotistical bastards.  In fact some of them are humble and down-to-earth beyond all reasonable expectation.  The promoters – some of them at least – are much worse!

I’m an amateur writer and it shows – I got my journalism degree from Neverbinta University.  I’ve learned everything that I know about journalism by trial and error, and the trials and errors have taken place in public.  When I started the Fistic Mystic blog I had no further experience as a writer than composing business letters in the office and one theme paper in high school which my composition teacher rejected on the grounds that he thought it had been plagiarized.  (Evidently old Mr. Hollister didn’t think I was capable of writing anything more than my name at the top of a page.)  So when the Fistic Mystic was brand new I wrote some articles that today I’d rather hide than share, and a couple of times I alienated people whose good graces I later wished I could win back.  Along the way I’ve learned a number of important things, for example ‘Never repeat an out-of-town fighter’s criticism of a local promoter,’ ‘Never speak anything that you wouldn’t publish,’ and ‘Don’t try to mediate a dispute between a fighter and a promoter.’  Oh, and there are others, believe me!  It would be nice sometimes to have a do-over, but I think you stop getting those when you leave the elementary school playground.  Anyway, readers expect professional quality and polish, detailed technical analysis, and a constant stream of inside information – all of which must be both accurate and interesting.  It’s a very high standard to try to uphold, and I’m sorry to confess that sometimes I don’t succeed.

Time – I’m 36 years old, nearly 37.  If I was ever going to have a real writing career it would certainly have happened by now.  I work two jobs; one full-time and one part-time, and I’m a married man with four kids..  Sometimes I don’t have the time or the energy to write anything for days, or even a week.  But if I don’t post something new every day the readership dissipates rapidly.  If I told you how much of my best writing was done after midnight on a weeknight you wouldn’t believe it.  If I told my employer how much of my writing was done after midnight on a weeknight they’d probably fire me.

Silver Linings:

Free admission to a boxing show is hard to pass up.  Sure, it might have cost me $60 for gas and $10 for two greasy, tasteless fast-food meals on the road, not to mention the forfeit of time with my wife and kids and a good night’s sleep, but it feels so good to pick up that press pass and walk into an arena or auditorium without stopping to pay for a ticket!

Inspiration – I am a writer, and boxing inspires me.  I haven’t always considered myself a writer, but I am one now.  Writer is as writer does, you know.  I always thought I could write, but I haven’t always had something to write about.  But I’ve been a boxing fan now for eighteen years (the first pay-per-view I ever bought was Bowe-Holyfield 1 back in 1992), and there’s no other topic on earth that gets my creative juices flowing like the fight game and the people who populate it.  Besides, the writing is a great excuse for watching fights.  ”I have to see this one, honey.  It would be an inexcusable act of journalistic faithlessness for me to miss it.”

I enjoy meeting and getting to know the fighters and officials and journalists, and I enjoy being known by them just as much.  I’ve had opportunities to meet fighters, to interview them, and to write about them.  In the process of writing and rewriting articles, and sharing drafts with the subjects and having them vetted for errors, I’ve learned things about some of these guys that they never intended to share.  Even better than meeting them in their gyms, I’ve been privileged to visit some in their homes and even to host some in my home.  More than a few times they’ve reached out to ask me to write for an obituary, an announcement, or to give a mention to a worthy cause.  It’s also fun to get positive feedback from people whose opinions really matter.  Sure, everyone is a critic.  But when the most thoughtful and significant and knowledgeable critics toss a compliment my way, as occasionally happens, well I might as well be a dog with a bone.  I’m not one who typically drops names, but when Graham Houston said he thought I was a “competent” boxing writer, I’m sure my smile glowed in the dark for the next two nights.

The Fistic Mystic says: I’ll keep writing.  It’s become a habit – a bad habit, and that’s the hardest kind to break.  The pleasure that I draw from the sport seems less and less healthy as time goes on; like the pleasure that a smoker gets from the first draw on a new cigarette, it feels less like pleasure and more like relief.  But for now the pleasure still outweighs the pain.  Seems to, anyway.

Equally important, the Rodriguez team sees the Esho bout as a very winnable contest.  ”My camp, we do a little bit of research into fighters in the local area and even around the country, and we take fights that make sense, and this fight makes sense,” says Rodriguez.  ”He’s nine-and-0 but he’s fought nobody – he’s a tough guy and he punches good, and he’s got some good experience in terms of martial arts fighting, but not in boxing.”

Though Esho’s background seems to be in martial arts and he has fought professionally in MMA, Rodriguez says that his game plan is business as usual.  ”We’re just going to go in there and do what we do.  Go in there and stick to our game plan, hope for a fair fight in Chicago.”  Rodriguez thinks a fair outcome is likely but concedes that it could go either way:  ”We know that Kenny Kost went down there and got a split decision against Miguel Hernandez, but then again we know that Wilton Hilario went down there and got a draw in a fight that I think he won by two rounds.”

Rodriguez is at a critical juncture in his boxing career, having fought just eight times at the (relatively) advanced age of 31.  But he perceives a recent decline in the number of active boxers in the area, and considers it a blessing in disguise.  ”Yeah, the [shrinking talent pool in boxing] has created more opportunities for us.  It’s a good thing because it means there’ll be more fights for me.  We’re going to be busier in the next few years, much much busier.”  And for now, busy is the watchword:  ”I’m just trying to stay busy.  I plan on having five fights this year – I had about four weeks notice for this fight, and we plan on doing four more this year.  We’re in the gym all the time and we want to be ready.”

The Fistic Mystic says: I think I’ll let Rodriguez have the last word:  ”I’m excited about it – it’s going to be a good fight.  I think he looked at my record and wasn’t impressed.  He’s 9-0 and it’s in his hometown, but I’m going to be his toughest fight.”

Rules:  A fighter is eligible for consideration if he’s from Minnesota, regardless of where his fights have taken place or who he was fighting.  A fight is eligible if it took place in Minnesota or if one or both of the combatants was a Minnesotan.

Knockout of the Year

Javontae Starks TKO1 Alexander Tousignant on May 22nd at Shooting Star Casino – Starks displayed his preternatural punching power in this springtime bout in Mahnomen.  For not the first time in his career, Starks started slowly, allowing his opponent to take some free shots while Starks leaned back on the ropes.  I have no idea why he does that.  But then Starks let his left hand fly and sent Tousignant reeling.  Taking advantage of Tousignant’s vulnerable state, Starks flattened him with one more punch, and though Tousignant did somehow make it back to his feet before he could be counted out, referee Mark Nelson had no choice but to stop the fight.

Honorable mention: Andy Kolle TKO1 Darryl Salmon, Joey Abell TKO2 Josh Gutcher, Andy Kolle KO1 Francisco Ruben Osorio

Fight of the Year

Tony Lee UD4 David Laque on December 18th at Target Center in Minneapolis – Lee dominated the early going and looked to have Laque outclassed after two rounds.  But Laque refused to be worn down, and after scoring with a nice combination in the third, managed to bloody Lee’s nose before the round ended.  The fourth and final round showcased each man’s best attributes: Lee’s volumes of crisp and accurate punching versus Laque’s grit and determination.  This one turned into a real crowd-pleaser.

Honorable mention:  Caleb Truax SD10 Phil Williams, Corey Rodriguez and Charles Meier 6-round draw in which each man is knocked down once,  Ismail Muwendo RTD5 David Laque

Worst Moment of the Year

Matt Vanda’s suspension revealed in the morning on the day of his scheduled main event bout with Phil Williams – This episode hurt everyone involved.  Vanda looks unprofessional for failing to apprise the state commission of his true status, Williams is cheated out of a bout that he both wanted and needed, the commission looks inept for not knowing that Vanda had been suspended in New Jersey and was ineligible to fight in Minnesota, and both the promoter and the venue failed to notify the fans that the Main Event was no longer an officially sanctioned bout until the fans were in the building.  Some of these criticisms may turn out to be unfounded, but the appearance of wrongdoing can be as damaging as the reality.

Dishonorable mention:  Jon Schmidt and Josh Crouch are forced into a No-Contest due to a nasty cut caused by a clash of heads in round 4 of 6 scheduled.

Best Moment of the Year

If you were smart enough and lucky enough to buy a ticket while they were available, you saw the remarkable fruit of a remarkable labor when the brand new Minnesota Boxing Hall of Fame honored its first class of inductees at Jax Cafe in northeast Minneapolis on October 12th.  This event, and the effort that it signifies, will have a more significant and lasting impact on the boxing scene in Minnesota than any boxing match or fight card we’ve seen in the last year.  The event was granted more coverage by the local media than they would ever give to an actual fight – even an important one – but maybe in the spirit of the moment we should be thankful for the attention given rather than resentful of perceived slights.

Honorable mention: Jason Litzau’s big win – read the next item!

Upset of the Year

Jason Litzau SD10 Celestino Caballero on November 27th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – Though it’s true that some local fans were predicting a Litzau victory based on a variety of factors (styles, weight classes, body types, Litzau’s commitment to the sport), the underlying factor is undeniably homerism.  Anyway, it’s the Vegas odds that count, and by various accounts Litzau was a 12-1 or 15-1 underdog when he stepped into the ring.

Honorable mention: Hector Orozco UD6 Jeremy McLaurin, Bobby Kliewer SD8 Anthony Bonsante, Christopher Martin SD10 Chris Avalos

Best Performance on the Road

Jason Litzau SD10 Celestino Caballero on November 27th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas - It’s been reported by enough sources just how Litzau did it, but what’s most important for boxing fans in Minnesota – in the Upper Midwest as a whole – is that one of our own went out on the road and won the big one.  This win was the biggest road triumph for an Upper Midwest boxer since Will Grigsby beat Victor Burgos for the IBF Light Flyweight title in 2005.  That contest, interestingly, was also hosted by the MGM Grand.  Keep an eye on that venue, fight fans.

Honorable mention: Jason Litzau TD7 Rocky Juarez

Prospect of the Year

Ismail Muwendo (7-0 with 6 kayos) - The lithe young Ugandan billed as the “Sharp Shooter” has his sights set on the big time.  He has already come a long way, but his destiny as a prizefighter is only partly in his hands – like any fighter, his career will be influenced by outside forces including (but not limited to) frequency of boxing shows in the local market, the performance of manager and trainer Scott Tolzmann, his own health, cash flow within the industry, and other factors.  Based on the part of the equation that Muwendo can control – his performance in the ring – his future looks very, very promising.

Honorable mention: Tony Lee, Jamal James, Gary Eyer

Boxer of the Year

Jason Litzau (28-2 with 21 kayos) – Litzau’s metamorphosis from an irrepressible brawler with untapped potential into a legitimate contender at the worldwide level is the biggest and best news in Minnesota boxing in 2010, though it didn’t all happen just in the last twelve months.  One attestation of Litzau’s transformation is the fact that the man who started his career with 14 straight KO or TKO wins and once sported a record of 20-0 with 18 kayos has now gone four bouts without putting away an opponent.  Litzau has embraced the virtue of winning his fights by any possible means, even if that means substance over style.

Honorable mention: Andy Kolle

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.

Crunchy numbers

About 3 million people visit the Taj Mahal every year. This blog was viewed about 37,000 times in 2010. If it were the Taj Mahal, it would take about 5 days for that many people to see it.

In 2010, there were 124 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 540 posts. There were 23 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 2mb. That’s about 2 pictures per month.

The busiest day of the year was April 2nd with 2585 views. The most popular post that day was April 2 Round-by-Round, Kolle -vs- Vanda.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were minnesotaboxingforum.aceboard.com, minnesotaboxing.com, mnboxingleague.com, boxrec.com, and facebook.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for winston churchill, target, fistic mystic, churchill, and kolle vs vanda.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

April 2 Round-by-Round, Kolle -vs- Vanda April 2010
7 comments

Being Shot at Without Result March 2010
1 comment

Upcoming Boxing Event: Abell -vs- Butler on December 4 November 2009

Boxing Results: Seasons Beatings, December 18th, 2010 (Vanda, Williams, Bonsante, etc) December 2010
3 comments

Live Round-by-Round: Showtime’s ShoBox in Fargo ND, November 5th, 2010 November 2010