how does a boxing writer...

by going to jail

 

I covered boxing in the southwestern states mainly for a few boxing mags. I enjoyed every second. Most fighters are readily accessible & friendly guys. I got to meet many of my idols in doing it including Ali, Joe Frazier,Lennox Lewis, I met and made friends with the boxing folk in the texas area All Dave Gormans champions, Don Curry Gene Hatcher Stevie Cruz Quincy Taylor etc. Plus Curtis Cokes stable Ike Ibebuchi & Kirk Johnson. Boxing folk are the best folk

 

honestly, being a boxing writer is in no way an honorable profession. writers are critics of men who risk their life when they step in the ring as they watch from the sidelines. i always laugh when i see a writer question a fighter's heart and determination.

with this said, boxing writers should be looked at as gods compared to the pieces of crap that post on these boards. at least their real name is attached to their opinions.

 

I really don't think a single boxing writer's opinions should be held in particularly high regard today. The vast majority clearly have no concept of journalistic integrity, little idea how to score fights, and little to offer aside from whatever the promoters they're in the pocket of have to say.

 

for the fact that fighters put their health at risk. the object in boxing is to physically damage your opponent. i'm not saying boxing writers are bad guys but i do roll my eyes when one is entered into the hall of fame. i don't understand how you honor someone who risked their life in the ring and went through the pain of being a fighter in the same building with someone who wrote about it. it's kind of silly to me.

 

There may be a few but the UNDISPUTED boxing writer just has to be the one and only(albeit reclusive) MALCOLM "FLASH" GORDON.:deal

 

I probably read Dan Rafael the most but normally for the breaking news.

Hugh McIlvanney is probably the best boxing writer in my lifetime in my view.

How did he get the cred?

He has a gift and he worked on it, simple as that.

 

There has been and will only ever be one A.J. Liebling, although he would surely defer to Pierce Egan.

 

They have to be objective, be able to see both sides of things, have a sense of perspective when it comes to the historical importance of certain events (I hate when people get carried away in this regard) and most importantly have strong opinions that they can make a logical argument to back up even if that means not going with the mainstream or popular opinion on things.

The sign of a great boxing writer, to me, is when they have an opinion that I disagree with but they can still make an argument that makes me see how they came to that opinion and give me a slightly new perspective on the issue.

 

Frank Lotierzo

 

Pierce Egan socialised in the prizefight circles he reported on. He was certainly well known (and respected) on London streets. Importantly, he wrote Life in London as well as the Boxiana volumes.