Sports Then and Now

While the greatest victory of Muhammad Ali’s career was perhaps over the U.S. Government, it could certainly be argued that he had no greater win in the boxing ring than his victory over George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle 45 years ago on October 30, 1974.

Though the 32-year old Ali had been a great champion, he had lost more than three years at the peak of his career due to his battle with the U.S. Government and in the three years since his return to the ring had never quite reached the level of greatest displayed earlier in his career.

He had posted a 15-2 record since returning to the ring and avenged both defeats, but the undefeated 25-year old Foreman was 40-0 in his career and wasn’t just winning fights, he was demolishing opponents.

Ali’s two defeats had been to Joe Frazier and Ken Norton. Foreman’s fights with both Frazier and Norton ended in the second round. He knocked Frazier down six times before their fight was finally stopped. Norton, who had famously broken Ali’s jaw in their first fight, was knocked out by Foreman in the second round.

There are many things about the Rumble in the Jungle that are now famously part of boxing lore.

One thing that made the fight notable was that it was being fought in Zaire, Africa. Ali had fought oversees several times previously, but never in Africa.

As Manny Pacquiao’s welterweight bout with Keith Thurman draws ever nearer, the spotlight begins to intensify on the Filipino as he prepares to step into the ring at the tender age of 40. You wouldn’t believe it, though, as Pacquiao doesn’t seem to have aged at all over the course of his 24-year career. But it is not the facial aesthetics that concern promoter Bob Arum, but rather the damage being done to the organ in the head we can’t see.

Arum has gone as far to say that he feels Pacquiao could be in danger of suffering brain damage if he carries on fighting. It may come across as a sensational thing to say but Arum’s comments aren’t as far fetched as one might think.

Pacquiao made his debut in 1995 and has gone on to fight 70 times, winning 61 times, losing seven and drawing twice. Over those 70 fights, even if he has come out victorious in most of them, Pacquiao has been on the receiving end of some massive blows to the head.

40 years old. Still got it.

Manny Pacquiao dominates Adrien Broner on his way to the unanimous decision!#PacquaioBroner pic.twitter.com/swHC4hFWgw— Sporting News (@sportingnews) January 20, 2019

In particular, the Filipino’s loss to Juan Manuel Marquez came after being brutally knocked out by the Mexican in footage that is hard to watch, and this is the type of trauma to the head that Pacquiao needs to stop signing up for, according to Arum. As a father of five, perhaps Pacquiao owes it to his family to lay down the gloves once and for all after the clash with Keith Thurman.

It seems unlikely that will happen but even if it were to be the Filipino’s swansong, he has another 12 rounds left against a man that is considered one of the hardest punchers in the division. He will certainly come in for some chin music at some stage and even if the odds of Pacquiao vs Thurman indicate that the 40-year-old is the slight favorite, the Filipino’s jaw isn’t what it used to be, one sweetly timed punch and it could be all she wrote for Pacquiao on the night.

This obviously is the reality for most boxers in fights but there is a feeling now that every punch that lands square on Pacquiao’s head is putting him in harm’s way in terms of enjoying a healthy retirement at the end of an incredible career. As Bob Arum says, “go play basketball, Manny!”

#PacquiaoThurman #TeamPacquiao 🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/oEUQMOySFI— Manny Pacquiao (@MannyPacquiao) June 27, 2019

He is an exceptionally popular fighter is Manny Pacquiao and the entire global boxing fraternity would like to see him with his senses intact once he eventually calls it a day. Having said that, those same fans will also be pinning for a vintage performance from Pacquiao against Thurman which does involve dropping his hands and throwing caution to the wind.

They will probably get it as well because it has always been all or nothing with the Filipino who you get the feeling subscribes to the notion of being more than happy to die trying in life. He’s one a kind type of fighter who can’t get enough of boxing but the hourglass is almost finished and its high time to think about walking away for good.

Jose Pedroza will put his WBO lightweight crown on the line on December 8th.

A lot is happening in the ‘battleground’! Jump into your leisure jackets this winter as you catch up with your favorite sport covering live fights and boxing matches scheduled through Nov and Dec.

Highlights of the upcoming sports events and where to follow them are as mentioned below:

1st December 2018:

At Staples Center- Los Angeles, CA on PPV; catch Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder in the lightweight category.

• There’s Oleksandr Gvozdyk vs Adonis Stevenson, light heavyweights to play 12 rounds at Centre Videotron, Quebec City, Canada on SHO.

• Watch the super middleweights Alfredo Angulo vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr scuffling at Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA on SHO

A week ahead, on Dec 8, you’ll see the following at the Hulu Theatre- New York on ESPN

• Jose Pedraza vs Vasiliy Lomachenko, lightweights through 12 rounds

• Emanuel Navarrete vs Isaac Dogboe, super bantamweights through 12 rounds

• Mason Menard vs Teofimo Lopez, lightweights through 10 rounds

You can also watch the broadcast on HBO as the welterweights and Super Flyweights fight it out: Aleksandra Magdziak-Lopes vs Cecilia Braekhus in the former category playing, 10 rounds and Pedro Guevara vs Roman Gonzalez, 10 rounds playing under the latter category. Read the rest of this entry →

Boxing may be a popular sport, but one must not forget that this still a very aggressive and high impact combative contest. Such intense activities will always come with injuries, hence why you have to base your training on ways to avoid any damaging mishaps. Here are the 10 most common boxing injuries to watch out for.

1. Boxer’s Fracture

The aptly named boxer’s fracture is when the small bones under your ring and pinkie finger break. Said injury is followed by a sharp pain, swelling, and an inability to move your fingers. If your bones are still aligned, then your chances of a full recovery are promising, but any misalignment may require surgery. Avoid this problem by practicing the correct punching technique and ensure your diet is rich in calcium.

2. Carpal Bossing

Common between the ages of 20 and 40, carpal bossing is when the bones in the back of your palm overgrow and cause uncomfortable lumps to surface. Annoyingly, there is not much you can do once this occurs but you can prevent it by using the correct gloves and making use of hand wraps. If the pain becomes unbearable, wear a wrist guard after hours, take anti-inflammatory medication, and speak to your doctor about steroid injections. Thankfully, most people heal quite quickly from carpal bossing, but it will temporarily hinder your training.

3. Arthritis

With is so much repetitive stress focused on one place, the cartridge and joints in a boxer’s hands may deteriorate and swell. This is a progressive condition otherwise known as arthritis and has even forced professional boxers into an early retirement, as was the case for world heavyweight champion James J. Braddock (1935 to 1937). As before, take care of your hands, while exercising additional caution if your routine includes a lot of bag work. Read the rest of this entry →

Your child expresses an interest in boxing — maybe they saw it on television or heard about an upcoming boxing match.

If you are at least open to the idea, there are a few positive and negative things to consider about your child participating in boxing. Simply put, your child will get hurt in one way or another, as it is part of the sport. The upside is your child will also get to exercise, develop confidence and toughness and gain valuable experiences.

photo: NBC News

Expect Injuries

The American Academy of Pediatrics says doctors and parents oppose youth boxing because of the frequency of head injuries and concussions. Head injuries aren’t always inevitable — but being punched in the head is. It stands to reason that head injuries will follow after repeated blows to the head, whether your child wears headgear or not. Read the rest of this entry →

Despite having already been a heavyweight champion of the world, April 29, 2017 is the date that people will remember as the time when Anthony Joshua made the transition from potential to the realization of talent.

At a packed-out Wembley Stadium in London, Anthony Joshua faced Wladimir Klitschko – the greatest heavyweight since the turn of the millennium – in a journey that included thrills and spills during 11 rounds of brutal trading as the two man-mountains went toe-to-toe.

Often in boxing, the promotion outweighs the quality of the fight, leaving many boxing fans disappointed. But not a soul was left disappointed following the battle at Wembley.

Despite being 41 years of age, Klitschko showed he was still a top-tier boxer, and became the first man to put Anthony Joshua on the canvas during the sixth round, despite having been knocked down himself two rounds previously. Read the rest of this entry →