United States Claims Split-Decision Victory Over Iraq

By Bert Long, Senior Boxing Writer

WASHINGTON- The United States won a controversial decision over Iraq in a fight dubbed “Operation Enduring Freedom” last week. The victory moves the US’s record to 46-0-1 with 29 wins coming by way of knockout, but it was not the sort of dominating performance that some experts expected would solidify the country’s spot as the reigning heavyweight champion of countries.

The US was able to take down Iraq with a flurry of punches that landed in the early rounds and stunned the insurgent guerrillas. Iraq’s comeback in the middle rounds showed the champion’s age, and the inability to put away a weaker opponent demonstrated a loss of punching power and hand-speed. Nonetheless, the US was able to alter its strategy in the late rounds to stick it out for a clear win on the judges’ scorecards. While the victory was not so decisive as to end Iraq’s career, it was certainly the result that most predicted for the US.

The US maintained its undefeated record with the victory, though several of those matchups have come with a great deal of controversy. For example, when the United States was at the top of its game in the 1950s and 1960s, it exhibited the same type of hubris that doomed great champions like Apollo Creed by accepting challenges from unknown opponents such as Korea and Vietnam, both of which ended in uneven performances and disputed results. Despite the controversy, most boxing historians agree that the US’s record holds up against acre-for-acre greats like Rome, China, Greece, and the US’s first rival, Great Britain.

In fact, the US made its name with a stunning upset of Great Britain in its first professional fight in the late 18th century. A heavy underdog in the bout, the US used speed and a brilliantly executed game plan to out-point the reigning heavyweight champion at the time. While it took some time for the US to be recognized as an acre-for-acre contender in its own right, that fight was certainly the “Clay vs. Liston moment” in the young fighter’s early career.

[RIGHT- The US taking a break from training before one of its fights in the epic trilogy with Germany.]



While father time has taken its toll on the US as it would on any fighter, the old lion has shown a great deal of resiliency. What the country no longer has in speed, it makes up for with a still-lethal right hand and a great deal of veteran cunning that intimidates many opponents before even stepping in the ring. For instance, the US recently reaffirmed its status as one of the best fighters in a somewhat weaker era by knocking out Libya in the first round.

Like many great fighters, the US has had its career defined by some memorable rivalries that have brought the best out of the country. In addition to the early career rivalry with Great Britain, who later became a friend and training partner of the US, the USSR and Germany helped define the career of the United States by pushing it to level of greatness that can only be reached by going toe-to-toe with a worthy adversary. Even though the US’s legacy was already safe by the time it first encountered Iraq, the two fight series has helped define the latter stages of the country’s prestigious career.

Despite a tremendous amount of in-ring success, the United States has had many problems along the way. For example, there are persistent rumors that the US has mismanaged its finances badly over the last 20 years and must continue chasing big paydays in the ring even though its best days are behind it. The US certainly expected a bigger payday from its bout with Iraq, but when the oil fields failed to pay off, the US was left looking for another opponent who could offer a larger purse. Despite earning trillions in past fights, the United States has spent excessively and has joined past greats like Mike Tyson as fighters who have little to show financially for their in-ring dominance.

Furthermore, the latter portion of the US’s proud career has been dogged by legal trouble and speculation that the country has taken too many blows to the head. Repeatedly, the US has faced charges in the World Court for illegal tactics out of the ring, and must address on-going allegations of mortgage fraud that further mar its reputation. With increased knowledge of problems associated with concussions and repeated head trauma, some have speculated that the United States is “punch drunk,” or even suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. CTE often leads to memory loss, aggression, confusion, and depression, all symptoms which the US shows frequently on reality television.

Despite all of the criticism, the US has proven itself to be an all-time great warrior with the skill and determination to match some of the best who ever fought. What the future holds for the US is unclear, as many of its rivals through Europe have fallen by the wayside. New challengers are emerging in China and India who may try to take the US’s title, but the failures of those who have come before show the difficult road those fighters have ahead of them.