In the United Kingdom we don't often see fights fought outdoors, sure it does happen occasionally but it's a rarity because of the "good old British weather". Oddly however our German cousins often have fights held outdoors and they almost always go off with out a hitch, however there is always the odd one that goes wrong.
Back just a few weeks ago, on September 14th veteran Timo Hoffmann (40-7-2-1, 23) was facing German youngster Steffen Kretschmann (16-2-0-1, 15) in an outdoor venue when the unthinkable happened...it started to rain. Now what exactly can you do when it rains at an outdoor venue?
If it's a little bit of rain you can probably, just about, get away with fighting a round or two, however when the ring gets slippery and the fights start to fall the bout then becomes a danger. This is sadly what happened in the Hoffmann v Kretschmann as the rain, although not terrible, was starting to make the ring worryingly slippery and twice forcing Kretschmann to fall to the canvas.
The early round were fought fine, as well the rest of the undercard, however in round 5 you could faintly hear the rain falling in and around the ring (in the video you can hear a "pit-pat" sound from midway in the fifth round). By the end of round 5 you see rain drops over the corner (look carefully at Hoffman's corner between rounds) and by the time they came out for round 6 the rain had become heavier and louder.
Within 20 seconds of the restart Kretschmann had slipped in the middle of the ring as the canvas had become almost like and ice rink, he'd slip again just 32 seconds later before the referee, Andre Leloup (who was now beginning to look soaked himself) decided that enough was enough and called an early ending to proceedings.
As a result of the rain the bout was ended in round 6 with the unusual outcome of "6 round no contest due to rain", perhaps a lesson, if ever one was needed, that boxing is often fought indoors for a reason.
The video below comes thanks to WBCA WM
Back just a few weeks ago, on September 14th veteran Timo Hoffmann (40-7-2-1, 23) was facing German youngster Steffen Kretschmann (16-2-0-1, 15) in an outdoor venue when the unthinkable happened...it started to rain. Now what exactly can you do when it rains at an outdoor venue?
If it's a little bit of rain you can probably, just about, get away with fighting a round or two, however when the ring gets slippery and the fights start to fall the bout then becomes a danger. This is sadly what happened in the Hoffmann v Kretschmann as the rain, although not terrible, was starting to make the ring worryingly slippery and twice forcing Kretschmann to fall to the canvas.
The early round were fought fine, as well the rest of the undercard, however in round 5 you could faintly hear the rain falling in and around the ring (in the video you can hear a "pit-pat" sound from midway in the fifth round). By the end of round 5 you see rain drops over the corner (look carefully at Hoffman's corner between rounds) and by the time they came out for round 6 the rain had become heavier and louder.
Within 20 seconds of the restart Kretschmann had slipped in the middle of the ring as the canvas had become almost like and ice rink, he'd slip again just 32 seconds later before the referee, Andre Leloup (who was now beginning to look soaked himself) decided that enough was enough and called an early ending to proceedings.
As a result of the rain the bout was ended in round 6 with the unusual outcome of "6 round no contest due to rain", perhaps a lesson, if ever one was needed, that boxing is often fought indoors for a reason.
The video below comes thanks to WBCA WM
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