HBO Debuts Assault In The Ring This Saturday

This Saturday HBO's debuts Assault In the Ring, a documentary about quite arguably one of the sport of boxing's most tragic scandal. 

The junior middleweight bout between undefeated Billy Collins Jr. and Luis Resto and its profound impact on both fighters lives after that night.

The general public may know that Collins took a brutal beating never seen before resulting in his first loss. Shortly after the fight it was discovered that Resto's gloves seemed to be tampered and illegally stripped of the proper safety padding. Resto ended up in prison and his infamous controversial trainer Panama Lewis became banned for life from the sport. As for Collins his life took a fast downward spiral from permanent injuries from the fight as well as ultimately ending his own life in tragedy.

The producers of this documentary claim that Assault In the Ring, will take a further in depth look into both fighters and all parties involved with this criminal scandal as well as new surfaced evidence that has never been released to the public.

When I recall this tragic disgrace to boxing I can not help but think of a more recent situation with a particular fighter by the name of Antonio Margarito. This Collins vs Resto fight reminds me instantly of Margarito and his plaster of Paris wrapped hands which he was caught attempting to use in the Mosley fight.

More so this tragedy reminds me of his highly suspected fight with also then undefeated welterweight champion Miguel Cotto. Cotto just like Collins was undefeated and Cotto just like Collins has never experienced such a brutal beating and face dis-figurement as he did that night.

If we can put Resto in prison, why not put equally guilty Margarito in prison as well? Why not ban Margarito's trainer for life as well?

These are just some legitimate thoughts that pop up in my mind and I am certain in many of my colleague's minds as well.

Assault In the Ring debuts on HBO Debuting SATURDAY, AUG. 1 (10:00 p.m. ET/PT & 9:00 p.m. CT)

 Other HBO play dates:  Aug.  3 (11:00 a.m., 11:00 p.m.), 6 (12:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m.), 9 (10:00 a.m.), 12 (5:20 a.m.), 14 (6:30 p.m.), 18 (4:00 p.m., 12:30 a.m.), 22 (9:30 a.m.) and 29 (6:30 p.m.)
            HBO2 playdates:  Aug. 2 (10:00 p.m.), 7 (5:30 p.m.), 11 (2:10 a.m.), 15 (3:30 p.m.), 27 (6:30 p.m.) and 31 (11:00 a.m., 11:00 p.m.)
            HBO On Demand availability:  Aug. 3-31

“You know, I think about that fight almost every day.  When I work in the gym, I work with the other guys.  I don’t see your face, I see Collins’ face.”- Luis Resto