No Greek Tragedy on ESPN Tonight by Marty Mulcahey (May 9, 2008) Photo © German Villasenor Send this page to friend Give us your feedback It seems more than a little ironic that the birthplace of boxing and the Olympics, as well as the home of the famous Spartan warrior state, has only produced one world champion boxer. Especially considering that Greece has given the world so much in the way of history, and was once a dominant force globally on the intellectual and military front. But as far as boxing is concerned, this nation has not produced anything of interest since 1947, when former light-heavyweight champion Anton Christoforidis retired, leaving a void that has yet to be filled. With a population of over ten million, Greece has still failed to produce a single European champion in either the amateur or paid ranks. Enter Mike Arnaoutis. The Athens-born Arnaoutis, a jr. welterweight contender who fought for the WBO title, can already be considered the second best boxer to emerge from the cradle of Western civilization. Given the dearth of pugilistic talent Greece has spawned, Arnaoutis did not have to overcome much. However, that very lack of history and support for boxing in Greece is what also makes Arnaoutis unique. Just as importantly, this self assured pug seems to have some Spartan in him, which has helped the offensive minded southpaw gain a loyal following in his adoptive home of Atlantic City. It is far removed from the splendor of the Parthenon, but ideally suited for a gritty performer like Arnaoutis. The exuberant boxer/puncher, in conjunction with Star Boxing, has brought local flavor back to a once thriving Atlantic City boxing scene. Judging by the multitude of Greek flags waving at his bouts, Arnaoutis has introduced the first generation of Greek addicts to the sport as well. Promoter Joe DeGuardia knows he has a good and marketable product. “He is a charismatic youngster who has the whole package.” A package at whose foundation is a solid amateur resume, with Arnaoutis registering 103 wins in 110 bouts. Better yet, for his promoter and fans, 68 of those wins came via stoppage. Even when a knockout did not materialize, the frenetic pace set by Arnaoutis seldom failed to satisfy. That mix of power and pace has made the move with Arnaoutis into the pros, as he carries a respectable 50% kayo ratio into tonight’s fight against Lanardo Tyner. It’s a percentage that is more impressive when you consider the level of opposition Arnaoutis has faced, handing three undefeated prospects the first blemish to their records, which, in turn, has boosted Arnaoutis' already sky high confidence, proudly repeating his mantra to all who care to listen. "My destiny is Greatness”. While the greatness part has yet to be proven, his destiny will be shaped largely by his performance on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. The Greek stalwart marches into the bout with a healthy 18-2-2 record, which I would like to reiterate as being much more impressive when scrutinized closely. Arnaoutis logged two international fights before his tenth pro fight, and some of his best performances have come in his opponents’ backyard. His first former champion was vanquished in his ninth fight, and he earned a majority draw with future IBF jr. welterweight champion Juan Urango two bouts later. Entering the Showtime televised Urango bout, Arnaoutis was considered the 'opponent', in Urango's home base at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino, but he left such an impression that he appeared on the Shobox series for his next three bouts. The attention Arnaoutis gained from Showtime appearances led to a title bout against Colombian power puncher Ricardo Torres for the vacant WBO jr. welterweight belt on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Erik Morales PPV rematch. The fight developed into a hotly and evenly contested affair (in which one point separated the winner on two score cards), that featured Arnaoutis scoring the lone knockdown in the seventh round. Judge Adalaide Byrd's out of sync with the other two judges and majority of ringside observers’ scorecard of 116-111 for Torres dramatically decided the outcome. The decision sent Arnaoutis into a six month funk that included a lopsided 12 round loss to future title challenger Kendall Holt, in which Arnaoutis uncharacteristically failed to let his hands go. Unable to find the target with consistency, Arnaoutis fell into the routine of chasing Holt instead of cutting off the ring. Many questioned whether the Holt fight was the beginning of a downward spiral for a fighter who relies heavily on self belief and high volume punching. A 12 round shutout over Dominican gatekeeper Harrison Cuello, who knocked out DiBella Entertainment promoted prospect Edgar Santana in his previous outing, helped to alleviate some of skepticism following the Holt debacle. Besting Cuello is hardly a victory that would elevate Arnaoutis to a position next to Zeus on Mount Olympus, but promoter DeGuardia thinks it was step in the right direction. “What we witnessed tonight was the rebirth of "Mighty Mike" in the junior welterweight division. I truly believe that Mike will become the world champion most boxing experts predicted he would be in the very near future.” Tonight’s fight against Detroit's undefeated, but untested, Tyner seems an ideal test as to whether Arnaoutis' focus has returned. Like Kendall Holt, Tyner's game is an equal mix of hand speed, lateral movement, and power. It is a skill set that proved Arnaoutis' undoing a year ago, and it appears risky to revisit this style when a rematch with Ricardo Torres is a possibility if Torres defeats Kendall Holt in July. A win for Tyner would, seemingly, prove Holt's victory was a template for defeating Arnaoutis, and not just an off night at the workplace. With that in mind, this evening’s bout is, in many ways, a make or break fight for Arnaoutis. A second consecutive poor performance on national television has the potential to cast the 28 year old out of title contention for the near future. Arnaoutis is not dwelling on the subject of future title shots, and has concentrated on the task at hand. "I have worked very hard for this fight. I had a very good camp, with excellent sparring and I'm ready for the fight. Tyner will know what its like to be in the big time when he steps into the ring with someone like me. Rest assured he will be going back home with a loss on his record. I have a great corner and this will be the year of "Mighty Mike". Lanardo Tyner is just a bump in the road for me". That “bump” has the potential to turn into Arnaoutis' personal Mount Vesuvius, and could delay the arrival of a second Greek boxing champion for another sixty years, a time span that even tests the patience of mythical Greek Gods. Ares, the Greek God of War, is not pleased. Discuss these Topics - Go to the forums For Questions or Comments E-Mail Marty Mulcahey at mmulcahey@elpasotel.net