For those who have followed the sport long enough, certain words and phrases have become part of the boxing culture. While some are fitting and appropriate, others get tossed around so freely that they have become pure cliche.
Used to dismiss and often distort reality, some of these cliches are wielded as weapons in the hands of misinformed fans and media members with agendas.
Here are five words that should be reserved for only those who really know how to use them:
Robbery
The last few weeks showed us the difference between a robbery and close, but disputed decision. Paul Williams-Erislandy Lara was a robbery. When most reasonable people scored the fight 9-3 or 8-4 for Lara and the judges turn in scorecards, making Williams the majority decision winner...well, that's a robbery. Devon Alexander-Lucas Matthysse, from about three weeks ago, was a close fight with several rounds that could have gone either way. Judging is subjective, not blind and stupid. Labeling every controversial fight a robbery is a disservice to those cases where the right people should be outraged.
Duck
Please get it straight that the only fighters who take on