First Punch: Wild Endings

Jeremiah Artacho | TBL Writer

It’s interesting what can happen on a week-to-week basis in Team Boxing League. 

In the span of three days, two TBL fights ended in quite an unusual way. 

First, a disqualification for NYC Attitude’s Shawn McCalman while fighting Boston Butchers’ Steven Sumpter. The controversial ending between the referees, the two head coaches and everyone else involved, plus the fans in attendance at Road Runner in Boston, was indeed an entertaining show. Boston earned its first win of the season against the season three champions. However, the coaches of NYC were left in frustration with the final decision. 

What could’ve been another win and a momentum booster heading into week six is a launch pad to find a way back into the win column. NYC will take on the Philadelphia Smoke on Saturday, May 2. 

Wait. It doesn’t stop there. 

The San Antonio Snipers and the Las Vegas Hustle were in a tight-knit battle until the end. The Snipers had the advantage in the final round — 15-12 — but a win by Las Vegas’ Yojanler Martinez was one point, but with an announcement by Ray Flores, the ring announcer, shared that Jarvis Shepard's inability to participate in Round 21 as scheduled resulted in a forfeit and four points for Las Vegas. 

Bang. Just like that, 17-15 in favor of Hustle. I couldn’t believe it. 

But hey, that’s how things go sometimes. The rules are in place for a reason, and besides a knockout equating four points, a disqualification and forfeit hold the same weight too — the rarity of those things happening shouldn’t be disregarded either. 

All things considered, despite the craziness, the LA Elite landed in good fortune in week five. 

Victorious, at last — Manuel Robles’ team performed and showed out for its second home match of season four. 

Los Angeles was popping. The crowd got into it, and another star showed up in attendance. 

Anderson Silva. 

It was Deontay Wilder in week four in Nashville, Tennessee, now Silva. 

Only time will tell who the next big name will be at a TBL event. Manny Pacquiao’s first appearance at a TBL event is on its way, whenever that may be. 

Every week brings new opportunities, an opportunity for the league to hold three more events in three different cities, six different teams squaring off in the ring and the chance for those who have yet to attend an event in person to do just that. I can say firsthand: Watching boxing in person is a whole lot different than tuning in from home on TV. You can hear the punches. You can hear the coaches and teammates yelling. And given the team-based concept, TBL falls into the same category of the NBA, MLB, NFL and NHL. 

Boxing as a team-based sport is the new way to watch. No one versus one for 12 rounds. 

Week six features a rematch between the Miami Assassins and the Atlanta Attack, the NYC Attitude and the Philadelphia Smoke, in addition to the Houston Hitmen and the Dallas Enforcers. I predict the first two fights will be neck-and-neck, considering the competitive nature each team brings. For Dallas and Houston, unless the Hitmen come out swinging from the jump, I see the Enforcers coming out on top for their second win. 

Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas will be jumping. It will be thrilling. Fans of the respective teams are going to show up to support. 

But the endings for each of those fights?

If there’s anything week five taught us, taught me, it’s to not be surprised by the unexpected, but to embrace all things that happen because TBL continues to evolve.

It’s improving no matter how wild it gets.