Boxing Off-Topic

[pietasterp]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

As much of a boxing fan as I am, I wouldn't mind seeing the sport completely implode to absolute zero, which I think we're actually not that far away from. Let it become 100% the joke it's been headed toward, and stay that way, until there is finally the will from the sport's power-brokers to come together and form some semblance of a real 'league' with some legitimacy and even a faint whiff of integrity. That might put boxing back on the national stage to some extent.

I'm not holding my breath, though. There's money to be made in sham fights and Youtube exhibitions. Taking the long-view was never something boxing was good at.

[pietasterp]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Have any of you been watching this "Ali" documentary on PBS?

I have to be honest, I'm a huge Ken Burns fan and I usually love everything he does, no matter how mundane, but I think Ali is a huge miss in terms of subject matter. I mean, perhaps I'm not the target audience, but what's not known about Ali's life? What aspect of the man hasn't been covered to death already a hundred times over? The documentary is fine, but I'm learning absolutely nothing I didn't already know. It also predictably skews towards the hagiography school of Ali coverage (pioneered by the likes of Bryant Gumbel et al), with token nods to his shortcomings and cruelty to people like Smokin' Joe Frazier.

From my perspective, once I read Mark Kram's "Ghosts of Manila", I feel like that nicely rounded out my Ali consumption for the rest of time.

[steelcityjames]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

I'm DVR'ing it because, like yourself, I expect it to be good because of Ken Burns. I'll watch it but I'm not expecting anything new because how many docs about the same guy do we need? I don't know, but I'll watch anyway.... Just because

Have any of you been watching this "Ali" documentary on PBS?

I have to be honest, I'm a huge Ken Burns fan and I usually love everything he does, no matter how mundane, but I think Ali is a huge miss in terms of subject matter. I mean, perhaps I'm not the target audience, but what's not known about Ali's life? What aspect of the man hasn't been covered to death already a hundred times over? The documentary is fine, but I'm learning absolutely nothing I didn't already know. It also predictably skews towards the hagiography school of Ali coverage (pioneered by the likes of Bryant Gumbel et al), with token nods to his shortcomings and cruelty to people like Smokin' Joe Frazier.

From my perspective, once I read Mark Kram's "Ghosts of Manila", I feel like that nicely rounded out my Ali consumption for the rest of time.

[pietasterp]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

I'm DVR'ing it because, like yourself, I expect it to be good because of Ken Burns. I'll watch it but I'm not expecting anything new because how many docs about the same guy do we need? I don't know, but I'll watch anyway.... Just because

Finished it last night. It was.....fine, I guess? Honestly, I'm not even sure it's worth watching. There is nothing new or unexpected and you know 100% of what's in it already. I also noticed the annoying Ken Burns habit of relying way too heavily on 2-3 opinions to tell the story (as if it represents some kind of universal truth or consensus), which has always been a criticism of Burns going back to "The Civil War", but which never bothered me all that much until now. Gell-Mann amnesia, I guess.

Anyway....5 out of 10 at best IMO.

[steelcityjames]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Thanks for the update. You're the 2nd person today who mentioned that it isn't very good. I was contemplating starting it tonight, but I'm having 2nd thoughts. Meh...

Finished it last night. It was.....fine, I guess? Honestly, I'm not even sure it's worth watching. There is nothing new or unexpected and you know 100% of what's in it already. I also noticed the annoying Ken Burns habit of relying way too heavily on 2-3 opinions to tell the story (as if it represents some kind of universal truth or consensus), which has always been a criticism of Burns going back to "The Civil War", but which never bothered me all that much until now. Gell-Mann amnesia, I guess.

Anyway....5 out of 10 at best IMO.

[JayBee74]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Thanks for the update. You're the 2nd person today who mentioned that it isn't very good. I was contemplating starting it tonight, but I'm having 2nd thoughts. Meh...

Having seen so much on Ali the only thing that surprised me was the extent of his philandering. I think what had become etched on my mind was the 1969 Joe Namath show which included George Segal and Dick Schaap as guests with Muhammad. The Greatest got offended when Namath and Segal discussed some pretty mild stuff about nakedness. I remember another woman during the time leading up to Foreman but I thought that was a religious custom based switch.

I watched all of Part 3 and stopped at Part 4 after the Thrilla In Manila. I saw maybe 15 minutes of Part 1. Nothing sensational even augmented by the great voice of narrator Keith David.

[Heat_Fan]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

I was in JHS back in '69. Joe "Wille" Namath was my idol. The first Ali vs Frazier fight captivated the Nation back then. It was in all the papers and at school it was all we talked about.

As the fight got closer to 1971 full page stories were common, TV news gave it mention. There was nothing like it. Back then Sports were not viewed as they are today, entertainment but as competition. Broadcasters and announcers were less hyperbole and more reserved.

Let me tell you that both Ali and Frazier divided the Country. There was nothing like it. I wanted to see Ali lose not because of what he stood for but because I wanted him to shut his big mouth.

I stayed up late that night listening to the radio as the fight was so big, AP News was giving round by round fight updates. I finally had to go to bed as I had school the next day. When I got up to go to school, my Mom told me Ali lost and got decked. I was glad. After that for some reason, I became a fan of Ali.

Legendary Bert Sugar summed up the first Ali fight. "The winner became the loser and the loser became the eventual winner". From that point on Ali was forgiven and welcomed as an icon by the Nation that hated him leading up to that fight.

[jr86]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Great performance by Oleksandr Usyk. Outclassed Joshua the entire fight.

Yep, who thought up that gameplan for him..?? Should have been backing him up to the ropes all night... never going to see that Fury fight now I fear... of

[JayBee74]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Great performance by Oleksandr Usyk. Outclassed Joshua the entire fight.

Wow, I had forgotten about that fight.

[JayBee74]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Tried to watch a YouTube replay of the fight but the close up camera angles discouraged me enough to only last two rounds.

One judge had it 115-113 Usyk so someone saw it as pretty close.

[Dead2009]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Manny Pacquiao, only eight-division champion in boxing history, announces retirement

https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/32302919/manny-pacquiao-announces-retirement-boxing

[pietasterp]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Manny Pacquiao, only eight-division champion in boxing history, announces retirement
https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/...irement-boxing

Let's hope it sticks. Boxing retirements, I mean....

Anyway, he seems to be getting out with his body and wits (relatively) intact, so I hope he stays that way. Seems like a good time to get out.

[edaddy]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Aight my boxing peeps who we got in the fury wilder fight? I have fury in 10 rounds with him getting dropped early and coming back to stop wilder!! I just think a great big man always beats a good little man!!

[steelcityjames]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Wilder by KO. Round 5. I think Fury is the better fighter, but I just have a funny feeling Wilder is going to catch him with a vicious right. Thankfully I'm not a betting man hahaha

Aight my boxing peeps who we got in the fury wilder fight? I have fury in 10 rounds with him getting dropped early and coming back to stop wilder!! I just think a great big man always beats a good little man!!

[allBthere]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Wilder by KO. Round 5. I think Fury is the better fighter, but I just have a funny feeling Wilder is going to catch him with a vicious right. Thankfully I'm not a betting man hahaha

I never bet, but I will if those odds are super low with a high payout. Many are just saying Fury wins easy - and to an extent I would agree that's the most probable outcome. But just like you I think Wilder will land a big one early and it could be lights out.

in MMA I had the same feeling when Nunes went vs Cyborg - for some reason I knew she would KO her and the betting line was nuts. Too bad I didn't throw down 50 bucks lol