The undercard in the sport of boxing is sort of like The Invisible Man. Most fans tune in for the main event, even though they’re usually around six other fights before that happens. This past Saturday the undercard of the Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones exhibition had a familiar name. Nate Robinson, the former Knicks basketball player made his pro debut vs Jake Paul, a YouTube star who is 1-0 in the ring.
The match was the co-feature to the main event, which in itself raised eyebrows, because of its lack of experience between both boxers. Robinson entered the ring wearing the Knicks colors of blue and orange. Paul did one better, by mocking Robinson, when he entered to the tune of rapper Bow Wow’s, “Basketball.” Robinson’s trainer, Francisco “Paco” Reyes, should have ended this fiasco to be right then and there.
The former three time dunk champ got a taste of “The Sweet Science,” and it was stinking sour. As soon as the bell rang, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Robinson’s footwork moved as though he was wearing ice skates. It was a matter of seconds before he got clocked in his head. When he did, Robinson made the bad decision of getting back up. I couldn’t help to think that the late, great Kobe Bryant was spinning in his grave for what was about to happen in the next few minutes.
Let me just put it mildly by writing that Paul’s next three punches knocked down Robinson twice. The final one was early in Round 2, fight over, a brutal knockout. Robinson had to be wheelchaired out of the ring, and if he ever decides to walk back into that ring, he should be committed to a mental institution.
Commentator Snoop Dogg said it best, when he stated, “Boxing isn’t a sport, it’s a lifestyle.” Robinson had no style to his skills and is lucky to still have a life. A loud boo goes to his trainer, “Paco” Reyes, for letting this potential suicide mission go to Round 2. A middle finger salute goes to the California State Athletic Commission for basically showing the world that Robinson’s Life Doesn’t Matter!