Who and what are boxing's positives?

Youtube. Being able to watch so many fights at the click of a button and it's sometimes interesting to watch previews and **** as well.

 

The 'big fight' feeling - for me nothing can beat that in sport. The months of build up and then fight night Michael Buffer or Jimmy Lennon gives it the big intro...the ringwalks and the tension before the first bell. Brilliant!

 

Carl Froch
Willie Casey
Sergio Martinez
Michael Katsidis
Miguel Cotto

The Internet.
Loyal dedicated fans.

 

the fighters

 

The one punch KO
History lives
Toe to toe exchanges
The IBHOF
Boxrec
Upsets
Brits
Boxing Movies
Chuck Bodak's head
It is a guy thing
There is no off season
Slo-mo replays and creative camera shots
All shapes and sizes have a chance
Round card girls
Nicknames
Everybody is an expert
The guy with the deer head who comes to the ring with Yori Boy Campas
Corner microphones
The announcement of Split decisions
Staredowns
Courage
Individual expression
Boxers as people
Pound for pound debates
Classic series
Even bad fighters can make for great fights
It is not over, until it is over
The anticipation before a big fight
Mandatory challengers
March 8 1971

In fact, I could almost of wrote this 15 years ago!

 

The first bell. It hints at all sorts of possibilities that might happen.

 

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First off Audley Harrison is a positive, and i will talk about David Haye later.

Not just for people within in boxing, but for everyday people in life chasing there goals. Audley Harrison was a street tear away when he was a youngster, nothing was down for him in life. He was just another black man, up to no good on the streets and smoking weed. And listening to some Ragga drum and base..........

He left school with little qualifications, was in juvenile prison. Audley Harrison took it upon himself at an old age, to go back to school gain all his qualifications. He went into to University's, and graduated with a sports science degree. Never settling just to be another statistic, never settled to be just average.

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Its the early 1990's, and Snap the Power is somewhere in the charts, i was wearing my Michael Jackson Bad T-short and supporting a natural Cherry Curl. This is when Audley Harrison decided to take up the sport of boxing, while its a sport that most people take up from a very young age. Audley Harrison starts to box as a amateur and has one mission, and that mission was to become Olympic Champion. And attempt to become the first British Olympic Champion since..? well none of us here where alive, that's how long it had been.

Audley Harrison had a agenda, swagger and his flare was flammable. He won numerous, titles including the ABA's and countless international titles all over the world. At the age of 27 years old, never mind 27 years old. I'm 24 years old now, and most of the people i went to school with, have been reduce to being comfortable in their lives. They settled for their regular 9-5 jobs, and they are all just living for the weekend. All the birds in school that where fit, are now just fat wasters, they have all let themselves become comfortable "being big fat wasters", all the people that had any sort of talent in sport have give up on their dreams, they have stopped chasing, they have stopped wanting to make statements.

Audley Harrison in 1998 win the commonwealth Gold Medal, and he was offered 100grand to turn professional from Frank Warren.

"Audley Harrison told Frank Warren that he was going to become Olympic Champion, Frank Warren then laughed in his face and told him that he was too old"

"Audley Harrison then replied, I've got a commonwealth gold medal, and you have offered me 100grand to turn pro. When i become Olympic Champion, just imagine how much that Olympic Gold medal will be worth.....that 100grand will be turned into..???

The year 2000 came around, and the Millienium bug but didn't strike. But something else was abut to strike, yes.........something called the A-force.

Its invisible, you can't actually see it. But its all around us, and it feeds of Optimism, Hope, perseverance, and courage.

And in the years 2000 spirits where high in the nation, Labour where doing well, and living up to there signature party political campaigns theme tune.

"D-ream...Things can only get better"

Audley Harrison was not favourite coming into the Sydney Olympics, one of the oldest members of the British boxing team, he might of been the oldest. A mentor to many, and a inspiration to many more. Audley Harrison took it upon his shoulders, and declared a statement to the rest of the British Olympic Team........."That he will become Olympic Champion, that he's not leaving Sydney Australia without the Gold Medal"

Never since guys like Linford Christie, Collin Jackson, Sally Gunnell, John Regis. Had a athlete stood up and said that, "I'm coming to win".

You see many athlete's train and want to win, but very few athlete's have the courage to come and state, that they just want to win and be the best. They train, and give a humble modest appearance, and hope it all comes off.

But Audley Harrison dared to walk above others, and lead the way. And he put himself upon that pedestal, the pedestal of which when you put yourself on it, you can never come down.

This pedestal comes with allot of criticism ad expectation.

Audley Harrison sustained a injury to his knuckle in one of his Olympic bouts before the final. A ruptured tendon in his knuckle. But in pain, he fought on knowing that this was his only opportunity to capture the Gold Medal.

The night before he was due to fight in the Olympic Super heavyweight final.

"He received a letter, and in this letter it said"

"To one Olympic, to another Olympic Champion"

Lennox Lewis.

Audley Harrison went on to capture the Gold Medal, and inspired the millions of people that stayed up til 4.00 am in the morning to witness destiny.

At time when boxing was still relevant on the streets, at a time when the world heavyweight champion was one of the most recognisable figures on the planet.

Audley Harrison was the "Olympic SuperHeavyweight Champion" Britains first since..? i don't know 50 - 100 years..?? who gives a ****.

From a street tear away, to re-educating himself, it took him over a decade to complete his mission of being Olympic Champion. Many people tried to denied his dream, many people tried to tell him that he was too old, he took up boxing to late.

But long before Barrack Obama, it was Audley Harrison first that was chanting "Yes i can".."Yes We Can"

And that 100grand that Frank Warren offered him to turned professional, turned into 10 Million.

11 years ago, Audley Harrison put himself on a pedestal, persecute and ridiculed like a modern day Sporting Christ, when all he has been trying to do is inspired people and install some Hope, Optimism, Courage back into the Nation.

All those quotes we used to get told in primary school during the 1990's.

"If at first you don't succeeded try and try again"

People won't like to admit it, but we need human beings like Audley Harrison. Weather they are falling or climbing mountains, some people need people to point there finger at and to criticise to make themselves feel better. Some people need people like Audley Harrison to look and laugh at his flaws, to make themselves feel better about their own flaws.

And some people need people like Audley Harrison, to look upto and think.

"Yes i can"

Weather you have made mistakes in you're life, weather you have flaws i you're personal make up. If you have alittle bit of talented, if you have determination, optimism, hope.......and a whole lot of heart.

You can achieve something.

Its 2011.

And Audley Harrison is back.

If there is still some Hope, Optimism, and courage in this world.

People like Audley Harrison won't go away........................."They will never give up"

We will never give up.

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Showtime-Coverage and effort towards making fights and putting on fantastic bouts over the last few years have been fantastic as well as finding a gem in Antonio Tarver as a Commentator. He's really been a brilliant addition alongside another positive in Al Bernstein. The guy oozes love for the sport and can't help get amped for fights with his enthusiasm.

Internet- Can at times be detrimental when you get idiots causing issues with fighters etc but on the whole it's a major positive if being used positively.

Fighters- There the guys who make the sport. I've now got to the point where i only care about the fighters. To me i rather appreciate and praise the likes of Cotto,Froch,Pascal,Montiel,Donaire,Bradley,Alexander and Many others for making fights and taking on the best rather then the ''part time'' fighters who use the sport for financial and egotistical gain.

 

Journey men

**** money, no glory, just love to fight. the backbone of boxing

 

:rofl Amazing stuff.

 

:deal

And Primadonna Kool.

And, the depth of knowledge and understanding of some fight fans. My 'other' sport is football and I can agree and disagree with most fans in equal measure but very rarely do I learn something when talking about football. In contrast, when talking about boxing with knowledgable fans I am forever coming away with something. Whether it be a fight or fighter I hadnt before heard of or a particular move, technique or habit of fighters I thought I knew well.

 

Take note GazOC it is PK's commiment in posts such as this that wins him the funniest poster of the year award Gaz you need to up your game...

 

David Haye, he has brought attention to Boxing and remember that any attention is good because that means that people will become fans of the Sport atsch

 

Attention is good because it makes people aware of the sport. People will make their own minds up when they watch it. But to watch it, they need to know it exists.

What new fans did the supersix make in the UK? A minimal amount because none of them knew it was even happening (cheers Mick).

Whereas at least Haye's fights against Valuev and Ruiz got people interested. We wont know if the Harrison fight has made them turn on or off until Haye's next PPV figures.

I'm no nut hugger or hater of Haye. But (almost) any exposure is good exposure for the sport. The only exposure that isnt really is when there are serious injuries which brings out the "ban it" brigade.

(No insensitivity intended by the way to those who may suffer serious injury, just a caveat to the point made)