TV View / Mary Hannigan: "I'd like to say thanks to Southbank Fresh Fish, they've guided me all the way," said Peter McDonagh after winning the Irish lightweight boxing title at the National Stadium on Saturday night.
In the RTÉ studio Steve Collins was somewhat intimating the company that guided McDonagh all the way wasn't the only fishy aspect of the evening's proceedings.
"I don't accept how that fight ended, I'd like to know was there money put on the fight for it to be stopped in the fifth round? For me there is something wrong there. I'm shocked . . . I smell a rat, something's not right here. To me something stinks, the whole thing stinks, I'm disgusted by what happened here tonight, something is rotten here. I'm shocked, saddened and disheartened," he said.
Darragh Moloney, our presenter for the evening, just wished he'd got himself a pundit who would speak his mind.
On the off chance you missed the fight here's the gist: Michael Gomez (real name Armstrong, but Gomez sounded more pugilistic), the Manchester-based-former-Inchicore-resident who was born in a car in Longford that was en route to the hospital but didn't make it in time, the blazing hot favourite who was in control of the fight, got a clip around the ear from McDonagh in the fifth round, dropped his hands, and that was it. Down he went. Michael Carruth, sitting in the commentary box beside Jimmy Magee, was a touch surprised: "It's over?!?!"
Now, wild allegations have been made about this fight, indeed the Boxing Union of Ireland has withheld the purses of both fighters pending the results of an investigation, leaving them with nowhere to keep their lipstick on a night out.
These allegations largely relate to betting matters, which made McDonagh's very first utterance to Ger Gilroy after the fight somewhat unfortunate: "Listen, every round Paddy Power had me 125 to 1 to stop him." In fairness, McDonagh then went on to pay tribute to his mind mentor, Uri Geller. "How could you not believe in this man? This man can bend a spoon," he said.
Back in the studio. Collins wasn't best pleased, but Mick Dowling tried to calm him, suggesting maybe, just maybe, Gomez had decided life was too short, time to move on, and maybe, just maybe, that accounted for him showing as much fight as Justine Henin-Hardenne in the Australian Open final.
Mind you, when Darragh said "guys, explain that to me," Dowling's response wasn't convincing. He left us believing the only thing McDonagh ever stopped in his life was a bus.
More boxing over on ITV. Amir Khan v Vitali Martynov. "Away we go, six rounds, Khan says he will bide his time, says he will work his way in to his openings," said commentator John Rawling. "He knows he's going to have to use his wing generalship," said Duke McKenzie, "box his way in because he's got a kid in front of him who can jab well, throw the right hand reasonably well and - oooooh!" Yep. Amir decked Vitali. After 72 seconds.
We could only think back to Gabriel Clarke's pre-fight interview. "This is your first six-round fight, what have you been working on," he asked. "I've been working on my strength and endurance," said Amir.
Oh well. Another day, perhaps.
Marcos Baghdatis lasted somewhat longer in the Australian Open final, although we noted from the moment we tuned in it all went wrong for the unseeded Cypriot - he was a set up and 5-5 in the second when we arrived, he then proceeded to lose the next 11 games.
"The Chantelle of the Australian Open," Clare Balding had called him on Saturday. And don't pretend you don't know Chantelle was the non-celebrity winner of Celebrity Big Brother.
Highlight of the week? No contest: Schoolyard Wishes on Setanta, in which a bunch of very small people, from Dublin's City Quay Primary School, were asked for their thoughts on sport. "Shamrock Rovers got relegated but I'll still go to see their matches, though," said one young fella. "Dublin City relegated them. I hate them, I do. I do hate them. Their manager's about 72. I hate them."
"I'd love them to win this World Cup again," said a young girl. "They won it in 19 something. Eh, I think it was 2003 they won it," she said. "Who?" asked the Setanta man. "Celtic," she said, like he was stupid.
Then there was another young lad who was asked to name a couple of rugby players. "Brian O'Driscoll. And Stretcher," he said. Silence. "What's his name again?" he asked his pal. The pal sighed. And then replied: "Stringer". "Yeah, Brian O'Driscoll and Stringer."
