 By
Michael J. Riley: My time as a designer has taught me to appreciate
both, positive and negative spaces. Without these two principal
elements, there can be no balance. The job of a designer is to
effectively establish the featured product as the focal point
in a layout. In
the sport of
professional boxing, this technique is also practiced. How many
times have we seen certain fighters being presented as mere
props, against which, media darlings are supposed to shine?
In the field of graphic design, this is referred to as a "drop
shadow," a special effect used to make the object in the
foreground, or focal point, stand out. As one might perceive,
this is an illusion or a "trick of the trade."
While marketing may
be used as a tool to promote visibility, it does nothing to
sharpen the skills of an individual once he is in the ring.
It definitely doesn't take the place of developing sound boxing
technique or having a great chin. Nope. In the fight game, it
is still put up or shut up. "Go hard, or go home."
Don't get me wrong.
A diamond is supposed to shine and it would be a shame not to
display such a gem in the most fitting of showcases. But, please
do not come at real boxing fans with a fake stone in an expensive
box, saying here's a champion. A true fan will see through this
every time and history has shown that the results have not been
too pretty. Plus, reality will eventually knock his block off!
Sometimes, a winning
or losing record does not tell the whole tale. A fighter might
be 10 - 0, with 9 KO's, but if the only people he has fought
were tomato cans, what do you think is going to happen if he
is put in with a "background fighter" who has been
in there with the best of them?
The shadow effect
doesn't always work. We read the headlines all of the time,
"Fighter X Upset By Fighter Y!" "Fighter Y Destroys
Fighter X!" I guess it would be almost un-American not
to act surprised by these "upsets." After all, society
does have a pecking order. I prefer having a buffet. If he works
hard and brings his A-Game every night, then I believe that
a fighter should eat.
So far, my system
for picking winners has served me well. I have been relying
on a couple of seldom-used tools to arrive at my decisions -
honesty and reason. True, anything can happen once two fighters
square off in that ring. However, when picking my favorites,
I try to look beyond appearances.
Don't be fooled by
all of the hype. Some "background fighters" are really
prime time performers, cast in the wrong role, anxiously waiting
their time to shine. I know a few guys who fall into this category.
Trust me, they are hungry and have had their fill of scraps.
It is time to bring some of these real warriors to the table.
Let them eat steak!
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