Japanese Girl Watches Boxing? (or “De La Hoya Go Down on Golden Ass”)

How is this for a stereotype buster – my Japanese wife Noriko likes to watch boxing with me.  Okay, maybe “likes” is an overstatement, but at least she tolerates my eccentric habit.  “I used to watch wrestling wit my fadduh when I was little guhl, so I watch boxing wit you…”  Whatever the explanation, I can tell you this:  In order to like a fight, Noriko has to humanly relate to one of the boxers.  She has to like (or dislike) one of them as a person.  This Tale will illustrate exactly what I mean…

Last night Noriko and I watched a recording of HBO’s “24/7″ regarding the upcoming fight between Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquaio.  I knew it would work her up, given Noriko’s distaste for the ever dandy De La Hoya.  We had hardly gotten started when she shouted “stop it!”  I patiently put the recording on hold. “He so goofy.  I hate dat Oscah!”

“Okay, honey, we know you don’t like Oscar.  Let’s continue.”

“Now waitaminute.  I ain’t done.”  She stared me down, asserting her right to speak.  “I always hateuh Oscah.  From beginning.  Through my entiuh career as boxing fan I not like him.”

“Got it honey, you hate Oscar.  Now let’s watch the show.”  I flicked the button and the handsome “Golden Boy” was grinning in our face.  Climbing the desolate hills of Big Bear; heroically sparring in the gym; clowning with his entourage.  Playfully declaring how his new trainer Nacho is the “world’s best trainer….”

“Stop it! right dehr!”  Noriko demanded.

“Come on, honey, just watch the show!”

“No, I say ’stop it’!”  I sighed and stopped the recording again.

“Look at him.  He say his trainuh  ‘best in duh wohld’.  Why?  Simply because he Oscah’s trainuh?  Everyrting Oscah best in wohld?  He fiuh old trainuh; now new guy, because he’s Oscah’s trainuh – now he best in whole wohld?  Dat little narcissist!  Dat little worm!”

I had to admit that Noriko had a point.  Oscar had “forgotten” to tell his former “best trainer in the world”, Floyd Mayweather, Sr., to reserve his calendar for this fight – a passive way to dump the “best trainer in the world”? And now, to be discussed in a moment, Oscar is badmouthing his other former “best trainer in the world”, Freddy Roach?  Yes, Noriko had a point….

Back to the show, the subject of Pacquaio’s trainer Freddy Roach came up, how Freddy purported to know Oscar (from previously training him), and how this was an advantage for Manny.   “He thinks he knows me?”  Oscar asked with incredulity.  “From one fight?  Anyone who saw that fight knows that THAT WAS THE WRONG GAME PLAN!”

“Stop duh tape!”  Noriko insisted again.  “Wrong game plan?  What wrong wit game plan?  He blame Freddy for loss because he too dumb to jab. He forget to jab in dat fight.  He always blameuh someone.  HE nevuh responsible for loss!”  Noriko made a little fist and punched the air.  “We watch dis fight.  We pay for dis fight.  Why?  Because I want to see Oscah go down.  I want to see him go down on golden ass.  Little Pacquaio put him down on golden ass!  Dat dat!”

So that’s that.  HBO’s promotion worked; we will incur the PPV fee. Are they smart enough to know that it’s because we DISLIKE their star??