Slice-Petruzelli fight under investigation
A Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation official has told ESPN.com the government body that oversees the state's boxing commission has opened a preliminary investigation into Kimbo Slice's knockout loss to little-known Seth Petruzelli on Saturday.
"While the Department of Business and Professional Regulation doesn't have any reason to believe there was a problem with the Slice-Petruzelli fight, given the interest in it, the department has begun a preliminary investigation to thoroughly review the circumstances of the fight," Jennifer Meale, Communications Director for the DBPR, told ESPN.com.
When The Times contacted a department spokeswoman late Wednesday, she said there was no formal complaint filed; thus no plans for an investigation.
The fight's outcome was stunning given Slice's popularity built in YouTube-aired street fights. But Petruzelli added a new wrinkle on Monday when he told an Orlando, Fla., radio station he was approached by Elite XC promoters before the fight and told he'd earn extra money if he made it a stand-up bout -- which plays to Slice's strength.
Pro Elite, the fight organization's parent company, is in financial duress. Many mixed martial arts web sites pounced on the idea that a near fix was ordered -- the thinking boosted by the fact the company was desperate to keep its most popular fighter unbeaten as it angles for cash from CBS, which televised the Slice bout as a main event with more than four million viewers watching.
Jeremy Lappen, head of fight operations for Pro Elite, wasn't immediately available when The Times attempted to contact him late Thursday, but he told ESPN.com he wasn't concerned about the investigation. He told The Times Wednesday the situation was a "non-story," because he was confident no one from his organization attempted to manipulate the outcome.
Petruzelli has since altered his comments to say he was referring to winning a knockout bonus by keeping the fight a stand-up exchange.
Rival promoter Dana White of the more powerful MMA organization Ultimate Fighting Championship said the questions about the fight "makes me sick to my stomach."
-- Lance Pugmire
Photo: Seth Petruzelli celebrates his victory over Kimbo Slice. Credit: EliteXC/CBS.
Look I love kimbo!! He is a great street fighter. Thats it though!! A street fighter!! We cant blame him for not knowing what the other guys know in the ring. He's 34 years old and has never trained. He has beat the hell out of guys in backyards, shipping docks, and underground settings but not in the ring. Yes he was getting the big bucks for cred that he got outside of the ring but who of you would turn that down?? He got knocked out...flat out. It sucks for us kimbo fans but every fighter has a punchers chance and that blue haired loser was a winner that night because of it. Who cares that he got hit in the back of the head!! The investigation wasn't about that at all. Someone told seth to fight kimbo in kimbos world and he did... and knocked kimbo out in his own game. That just makes it worse for us kimbo fans. Get over it ppl. The great kimbo slice got knocked out. He wasn't ever gonna fight anyone special anyway till he was properlly trained. And all you that complain about that kimbo hasn't fought anyone good are idiots. Like i said before...he was 34 and never trained. NOBODY just jumps into this and fights the big fighters. That would be retarded and dangerous. Yeah it would be sweet to see kimbo go in and knock the hell out of someone that knows their biz but the chances of that happening are slim to none. Leave the guy alone. He's been taking punches his whole life for penutes and now that the man is getting paid for it you all want to get pissed at him. I bet if you left it up to the ppl who he fights he wouldn't back down from anyone. He might lose but he would lose with more heart then most of your top fighters. Kimbo Slice has fallen and to all of those that wished this then congrats...but who are you really getting all worked up over?? A 34 year old, un-trained internet hero?? Come on!! He is fun to watch and it does suck that he lost to this punk kid but we'll get over it...everyone loses at some time and the greatest usually lose to the ones that nobody expects.
Posted by: Picco | October 15, 2008 at 05:33 AM
Slice charged. When Petruzelli kicked (not very hard) to stop the charge, Slice put a hand out to block the kick and pushed his lower body backward (too far) to avoid it, but he had too much forward momentum, and his head and chest were left way forward of the rest of his body. Thus he was left with one hand down blocking the kick, his chin completely exposed, and his body unbalanced. He failed to block his head with his other hand. Petruzelli took advantage of the opening he created with his kick and hit Slice with perfect placement on the jaw with his right fist. Slice, already leaning forward, just fell right down, and Petruzelli rained blows on him before Slice could recover enough to try to defend against them. Everybody spends hours and hours practicing this kind of kick-then-punch combination in every dojo in the world. Nice to see a practical demonstration of its use.
They should have some rule that if you expose the back of your head or neck or your spine to potentially crippling blows more than twice, you are disqualified. Otherwise, making those regions off-limits is just affirmative action for wrestlers. We end up with disjointed boxing+wrestling matches.
Posted by: Kevin | October 21, 2008 at 03:59 PM