This is how to not run a sport

50 Cent looks good with all of Mayweather's former titles. Too bad the former pound-for-pound king is taking forever to get back in the ring to try and get them back. 

So in my last blog, I sung the praises of combat sports, including boxing. It's a sport that never really lets me down — except for the times when it never actually happens of course. 

Many people say boxing is a dying sport. The first reason it will never die is because the Vegas gamblers will never leave and it has been Vegas that has always supported the sport. The second reason it won't die is because there will always be a Muhammed Ali, Mike Tyson, Roy Jones, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather and now Manny Pacquiao. 

However, it may never catch on with mainstream attention again because it is hard to follow when big-name fighters pull out of bouts. This trend has been very popular within the last month. 

First we have David Haye pull out his highly anticipated fight with heavyweight kingpin Wladimir Klitschko. This one is especially heartbreaking since Haye was a breath of fresh air in a very stale division and he had talked so much trash, that it was sure to be a heated bout. 

Haye was devastated he had to pull out because of a back injury, and I truly believe he wanted the fight. He claims he wants to retire in about two years, though he is still very young, so we may never get to see this match happen. 

Haye is expected to fight in September, while Klitschko is going to defend on June 20 against Ruslan Chagaev. This will make it difficult for both fighters to even up their schedules to meet in the future. 

As if losing an exciting heavyweight bout wasn't enough, the biggest fight of the summer was recently canceled after Floyd Mayweather pulled out of his comeback fight against top pound-for-pound champion Juan Manuel Marquez. 

Pretty Boy Floyd severely injured his ribs and will not be able to meet JMM anymore. This, coupled with Manny Pacquiao's insane request that Miguel Cotto fight him at 143 pounds, makes it seem like everyone is trying to avoid each other. 

Pacman and Mayweather both know they can't afford losses if they want to set up their superfight, but at the same time neither man wants to fight each other right now. There is a good chance Pacman could get out-muscled by Cotto if he moved up to welterweight, and there is a good chance JMM could have beaten Mayweather. 

So for the time being, two of boxing's biggest stars will dance around negotiations while fans wait for something to develop. 

And if having all this turmoil among boxing's elite wasn't enough, one if it's fastest rising stars, Amir Khan, pulled out of his upcoming bout. But unlike the other fighters, Khan didn't want to scratch plans all together. Instead of fighting on June 27, the young prospect will get into the ring on July 18.

If boxing ever wants to draw a large fan base again, promoters are going to have to work harder to deliver on their promises of big fights. Injuries happen, that is to be expected. But if one happens, reschedule immediately so fans are not robbed of fights. 

If rescheduling is absolutely impossible, do your best to attract other stars such as Shane Mosley, to step in. I know it's not an easy task, but the fans deserve it and in the long run it will help the sport. 

A Life Lesson

There is no way Miguel Cotto wanted to fight another round in that condition, but he did anyways

Rocky Balboa said it best: It's not about how hard you hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep going. 

It's a lesson in boxing that separates the prospects from the champions and the champions from the legends. But it's also a lesson that applies to much more than the epic battles that happen in the squared circle. It applies to all facets of life. 

As you can clearly see, the content on this blog has not been updated for the last month and a half. The reason for the absence is because life hit me harder than any punch any boxer has ever thrown. It's a blow no one should ever have to experience. 

So for the last month and a half I have been picking myself up off the canvas and trying to get back on track. I haven't had a whole lot of interest in the fight game during that time, but I decided to watch it again last weekend, which brought me back here. 

I watched Cheick Kongo get absolutely dismantled by Cain Velasquez at UFC 99 and it made me think of that important lesson. No matter how hard Kongo got hit and no matter how much punishment he was taking, he didn't give up. He could have easily stayed down, but he tried to get to his feet and he tried to fight even when he was pinned on his back. 

He wouldn't let Velasquez beat him.

Then the main event saw Wanderli Silva take on Rich Franklin. Once again, Silva was exhausted and battered, but in the closing seconds of the fight, he threw everything he had at Franklin in one last effort to win. 

After watching those fights, it reminded me of why martial arts is more than a sport and why it's a lifestyle. 

Then there was the Miguel Cotto vs Joshua Clottey boxing match. Cotto's left eyebrow was a bloody mess for the whole fight and it bothered him to no end, but he never stopped. Clottey later fell to the canvas and hurt his knee. He was immobilized for the next few rounds, but he hung in there. 

Both men fought through adversity and never quit. 

At the end of the day, a sport is just a sport, but when it comes to combat sports, it teaches you to never quit. You don't need to win, you don't even need to be technically sound, but the one rule is don't give up on yourself. 

Boxing pushes your body to places you never thought you could go — life pushes you into areas you don't want to go.

Kongo lost badly and will now have to start all over if he wants to get to his dream of winning the title. But he will be back and give it his best shot again, and that's the beauty of the sport.

Sure, I haven't written for the last two months, but it's time to come back. Not because what I write is important, but because writing is what I do and now is no time to give up on things. 

The ring is a scary place to return to after a bad loss and life is a scary place after a bad loss too. But whatever happens, always walk back in. You might get knocked out again, but if you keep coming back, you'll get your win.

I don't know when I'll get my win or how hard I can hit life back, but I do know I can get hit really hard and keep going. So if you'll excuse me, it's time for me to get going.