Al Bernstein rips the mainstream media's lack of boxing coverage

Showtime boxing commentator Al Bernstein has called out the mainstream media's lack of coverage, saying that the sport is as good as it has been in two decades (he's right, you know) and that boxing doesn't need "saving" (he's right, you know).

"[My track record] gives me the right to call to task virtually all of the mainstream media in the United States for its appalling performance in the last several years in covering the sport of boxing."

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"The 1990s were an abyss for the sport of boxing. ... Important matches that should have been made were not. ... This abyss caused many of the mainstream sports media in the United States to drastically reduce the coverage of boxing. But as the century changed in 2000, so did the sport of boxing."

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"By last year, boxing had long since revamped its product, almost completely. But still, there was no notice by the sports mainstream media. I was still being asked on sports talk radio shows, 'Why is boxing so bad, and how will it be saved?' Well, I explained that actually, it isn't bad, and in fact, all it needs is to be covered more, and it will be fine. But of course, those comments were to no avail.

"This year, 2009 has been the best year boxing has had in two decades. While still bickering, promoters have nevertheless set their differences aside long enough to make virtually every match that boxing fans want to see. And they've created many thrilling and meaningful moments for the fans this year. There have been more than a dozen great major fights.

"Upsets like Shane Mosley surprising Antonio Margarito at a packed Staples Center. Wars of attrition like Miguel Cotto's stirring win over a tough Joshua Clottey to a big crowd at Madison Square Garden. Or Juan Manuel Marquez's thrilling battle with Juan Diaz before a packed house in the Toyota Center in Houston.

"And improbable comebacks like Carl Froch's KO win over Jermain Taylor with less than 20 seconds left in the last round, when Froch needed a knockout to defend his title. And along the way, boxing solidified its position internationally as a growing sport, complete with a certified superstar who has worldwide appeal.

"Now for any newspaper editors or SportsCenter producers or sports talk radio hosts who don't know enough to know who I'm talking about right now, does the name Manny Pacquiao ring a bell? Yeah, he's an amazing story. One that you really ought to consider telling, because in America, as around the world, hardcore and casual boxing fans alike just can't get enough of Manny."

And that, my friends, is just a taste. It's an 11-minute video that can be seen at iBN Sports. It should be the first video that loads, but if it isn't, you should find the link fairly easily on that page in the Highlights section.

Way to step up and say it, Al, because someone with a big enough voice really needed to.