THE PUNCH
By Ray Kilgore
Photo By Jesse Kelley
12-11-09

Raphael Butler (left) and Joey Abell (right) trade punches last Friday night at the Target Center in Minneapolis

Last Friday was presumed to be Joey Abell's or Raphael Butler's overdue Thanksgiving, early Christmas, and ensuing jackpot curtsey of each other.
They arrived at the Target Center with opposing forecasts of how the postscript would play out: but they shared a common goal of basking in the glory of accolades ranging from: satisfaction of defeating an archrival, to carrying the mythical title as pound-for-pound best heavyweight in MN, to claim a physical crown that hasn't been won since 1977 when Duane Bobick defeated Scott LeDoux.
It was a no brainer each man thought; execute an airtight blueprint for 30 minutes or under, then celebrate.
Certainly, neither man foreseen that controversy would end the first chapter of a saga they hoped to settle when they touched gloves center ring.

In setting up the fight, 25-year old Butler was ruthless knocking out 26 out of his 28 adversaries within four rounds. Equally, Abell manifested minimal mercy on his foes knocking out 23 of 24 within six rounds.
The initial hype about Butler degenerated into finger pointing and speculation; while Abell, of Coon Rapids, didn't experience much scrutiny until the fatal punch a week ago.

The delivery of the blow was not only scary because Butler was defenseless, it unnerved many to witness a helpless Butler lay motionless for several minutes. Butler now confirms he didn't remember much shortly thereafter.
The aftermath now puts Abell under fire as some are asking: is he a dirty fighter?

Dan O'Connor, Butler's long time trainer remarks the evidence speaks for itself.
"We got the tape. When Joey knocked Butler down, he hit him on the top of his head when my fighter was already down."
He adds, "If you look at Joey's early career, he has another DQ for doing the same thing!"
O'Connor is referring to Abell's fight against Jason Nicholson in 2008. Abell was DQ'd in the first round.

Ron Lyke, Abell's coach for the past 10 years undeniably says his guy doesn't have a tendency to use dirty tactics.
"He's too good of a kid to do anything like that [foul on purpose]. We didn't hear the bell. If Joey had heard the bell he would have not punched. This was the most focused I'd seen him and we were shocked."
Lyke, who runs Anoka Gym, confides if anyone deserves scrutiny it's he,
"I have to personally take credit for that [the Nicholson fight]. I have told him when you get someone hurt knock him out."

Butler, who resides in Rochester, maintains the punch isn't what bothers him; it's the way team Abell is spinning its perception,
"People tried to make it out as us being rivals for years, and it wasn't. Now it is because I don't feel he's being totally honest. He's making himself to be better than me and he's not."

Abell, who went back to training Monday after the fight, stands by his conviction,
"A lot of people are saying I hit him after the bell, but when I am fighting I transform into 'MN Ice,"' his ring alias. "I was zoned in on what I was doing. Regardless of my state of mind, if I hear the bell, I am stopping."
He adds, "But that's not who I am as a person [violent on purpose]. I was in the ring apologizing [to Butler and O'Connor]. The majority of time I feel bad when I knock fighters out."

Abell was seen in the ring telling O'Connor sorry numerous times and that he didn't hear the bell. He expressed the same sentiments to Butler.
Still, O'Connor doesn't buy it, "Look at the video you will see Joey stops and pauses; why else would you stop and pause if you didn't hear the bell?"

Despite the hoopla, Butler's focus is elsewhere:
"To be honest I don't give a s---t about the DQ. I am a fighter. I don't want any body to have questions-my friends or his his-about me being better than Joey."
He continues, "[The fight] it still leaves [the outcome] in people's mind that had Joey followed the rules, he would have won."

The long standing assumption has been that Abell pursued Butler for years in hope of a fight; if Lyke has a say, it will be Butler who is now the chaser,
"Sure we would take the rematch but I don't know if it would draw. He's beat Butler three or four times in the amateurs and knocked him out as a professional."

Lyke's concern about the financial aspects is based on poor fan turn out last week. O'Connor debunks this rational by insisting that a rematch will determine its own outcome,
"I have been called all this week from media wanting to see the fight on tape. This fight will sell very well." Butler chimes in, "They are making that as an excuse to not take the fight; with all the stuff going on now, the next fight should pull and they know it will."

Abell doesn't dismiss the possibility of the two locking horns, provide certain conditions are met,
"I really wish the fight didn't end this way. I am good for a rematch…if they want to do it, but right now, I wouldn't do it under any other promoter than someone I can trust."

For now O'Connor hopes to meet with boxing commissioners in an effort to get the decision reversed from a NC to its original standing of a DQ of Abell. If his request is denied, he says without a doubt, he will force the matter to a national level.
Meanwhile, Abell expects to stay busy in the gym and take advantage of the next best move regardless of if it's Butler or not.
The rematch will most likely happen since both guys are not happy about the outcome; since they both have something to prove, and since they both have images to clear up.
In the end fans come out on top because if round one-minus the controversy-is any indication of what round two will look like, Butler-Abell 2 can't come fast enough.