Nancy Armour is a National AP Writer who had a piece in the SF chronicle that gave thanks. “Devon Alexander was 7 when his mom gave in and let him join the new boxing program in his downtrodden neighborhood. He came home the first day crying, his nose bloodied from a sparring session with his friend Terrance Barker.
Fifteen years later, Alexander is the WBC 140-pound world champion.
And Barker, like so many of Alexander’s childhood friends, is dead.
Of the 30 young boys who joined Alexander day after day at that gym in the basement of the old police station, at least eight are gone forever. Another 10 are in prison or have spent time behind bars — including Alexander’s own brother.
The beauty of sports is in its power to inspire, with life-changing tales of triumph over adversity. Boxing didn’t simply alter Alexander’s life, though. It might very well have saved it.
“I think about that every day, why did God choose me? Why am I it?” Alexander said, standing a stone’s throw from a makeshift memorial to one of his old pals. “Most of the people that grow up in the ‘hood don’t believe they can make it. They just think that’s all there is to life.
“And I’m a living witness that that’s not true.”
Hyde Park in North St. Louis is the type of place that fosters despair, not dreams. Hundreds of once-proud rowhouses have been abandoned, the boards that cover their doors and windows an admission that no one will be calling them home anytime soon. Vacant lots abound and businesses are few and far between.
Money is scarce, opportunities even more so.
Alexander recognized early on that he was starting with a disadvantage, that he didn’t have many of the things most kids take for granted.
“I remember me standing by our complex one time, I walked out and there was a guy laying dead right there, by the side of my house,” Alexander said. “I remember seeing that and I was like, ‘Man.’”
And while he liked school, and was a good student, Alexander couldn’t tell you what he dreamed of being when he grew up. Doctor? Lawyer? Police officer?
Kids in his situation couldn’t afford to think that far ahead.
“I didn’t really think to be anything until I got older and I was around Kevin, who was teaching me that there was much more to life than that,” he said.
Kevin is Kevin Cunningham, now his trainer. But back in the early ’90s, when the war between the Bloods and Crips was at its height, Cunningham was a St. Louis police officer.
Patrolling the worst of St. Louis’ neighborhoods, Cunningham saw up close the toll gangs and drugs were taking. “Seeing these kids being murdered because of the color of the shirt they’re wearing, because of the color of hat they had on, it got sickening, you know?” he said.
As he rode through the dirty streets, Cunningham thought of what kept him out of trouble when he was younger. He boxed and played football before going into the Army, one season leading right into the other.
So he started a boxing program, setting up a gym in the basement of the old police station. Within three weeks, 30 kids were waiting for him at the gym each afternoon.
Few had ever seen a boxing glove before, but it hardly mattered.
“My thing was trying to instill some discipline in these kids where they could go finish high school, maybe some kids would go to college, trade school or something, to where, at the end of the day, you’re going to be a productive citizen,” Cunningham said.
Alexander showed a knack for boxing early, but he wasn’t the most naturally gifted of the group. Barker, for one, was better when they started. So, too, was Willie Ross, who won a Silver Gloves title alongside Alexander in what was Alexander’s first national tournament.
Like Barker, Ross is now dead, killed in a September 2008 shooting around the corner from the old gym.
“They were like brothers to me,” Alexander said.
In one case, it was his own brother in trouble.
Vaughn, 14 months older than Devon, was a promising boxer himself, 5-0 as a professional, fighting in Las Vegas and Madison Square Garden. The two boys once won Junior Olympic titles almost simultaneously, fighting in rings set up next to each other.
They dreamed of how boxing was going to change not only their lives, but those of everyone in their family. But like so many other kids in the neighborhood, Vaughn fell in with the wrong crowd.
Now he’s serving an 18-year sentence for, among other things, robbery and attempted robbery.
“Devon got it the first time,” Vaughn Alexander said. “He never took his eyes off that prize. He never took no wrong turns. He didn’t want to make no fast money. He didn’t want to do those things to jeopardize that No. 1 goal.”
Boxing is primal and brutal, not a sport one simply “does” like basketball or tennis. A boxer willingly absorbs dozens of blows each fight, to say nothing of the hundreds of hours of sparring and intense cardiovascular training it takes to get ready for a bout.
It takes a discipline and commitment few people have, and those who are serious are quickly separated from those who aren’t.
For Alexander, it was never a choice. He loved boxing from the first day Cunningham put the gloves on him, grinning and laughing when he heard that drumlike “pop-puh-puh-puh-pop” of leather on leather.
So when the other boys cut their training runs short, stopping as soon as Cunningham was out of sight, Alexander kept going. When everyone was urging him to “just hang out,” he kept walking.
And when his friends realized the drugs that were already all around them could be an easy means to those new clothes, sneakers and cars that every teenager wants, Alexander spent even more time at the gym.
“I don’t want to sound too perfect, but I just never wanted to do anything like that,” he said. “I played basketball sometimes, but either I was worrying about school or I was worrying about boxing.”
Just 5-foot-7, Alexander looks small in the ring. But the natural southpaw is extremely athletic, with excellent speed and enough power to win. He doesn’t get flustered, either.
England’s Junior Witter, Alexander’s opponent in the Aug. 1 fight for the WBC junior welterweight title, is an unorthodox fighter, yet Alexander handled him easily. He dominated for most of the fight until Witter retired after the eighth round, handing Alexander the title.
The American let loose with a guttural scream after the fight and then broke down, overcome by everything he’s accomplished — and endured.
It was equally emotional for Cunningham.
“All those years of driving the highways, going to tournaments, staying in hotels, doing this, doing that, you’re not thinking about a world title,” Cunningham said.
“You’re just thinking about helping the kids.”
Cunningham left the old police station back in 2000, setting up a gym in a rec center on the south side of the city. And Alexander now lives in a quiet suburb, a 20-mile move that may as well have been 2,000.
But memories of the neighborhood and the boys who didn’t make it out are never far away, trailing after him like ghosts.
Tucked in his massive scrapbook, between photos and stories about the many triumphs of “Alexander the Great,” are programs from Ross and Barker’s funerals. Posters from some of Alexander’s amateur fights still hang in the gym, his young face alongside those of boys who are now dead or in prison.
“I’m the only one standing now. It saddens me to see that, but it motivates me at the same time,” Alexander said. “God said to whom much is given, much is asked. I know I’ve got to do a lot, because I’m the only one here.”

David White, a SF Chronicle staff writer, talked about the Dallas overhanging scoreboard. “Raiders punter Shane Lechler was called out Tuesday, double-dog-dare-style, by Cowboys coach Wade Phillips, of all the dull people.
Hit the overhanging scoreboard at sparkling new Cowboys Stadium? Phillips said fat chance when the Raiders play the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, or any other day.
“Oh, I don’t think he’s gonna hit it if he kicks it,” Phillips said in a teleconference. “I mean, nobody’s even come close except that guy that kicked it straight up in preseason to try to hit it.”
But Lechler isn’t some nobody. He’s certainly not some reserve Titans punter named A.J. Trapasso, who hit the 160-foot-long video board 90 feet above the field in the stadium’s first exhibition game.
Lechler is a four-time Pro Bowler with the boomingest leg in the NFL. Ninety lousy feet from field level? Please. If anyone is going to be the first punter to dent the scoreboard during a regular-season game, it’s going to be Lechler.
He’s the one with enough hang time to average 51.5 yards per punt, one-tenth of a yard ahead of Sammy Baugh’s 69-year-old single-season record. He’s the one who’s been talking about this game since the preseason, when 49ers punter Andy Lee told him how drillable that board was.
“Yeah, I could hit it,” Lechler said. “If that guy in Tennessee can hit it, I can hit it. I talked to Andy, and he said it wasn’t that big of a deal.”
The question, then is, will Lechler take aim for the same reason people climb mountains – just because it’s there?
“No, I’m not going to go for it on purpose,” Lechler said. “That is being really selfish that way. If I hit it, I hit it. It’s kind of a tough spot to put our guys in, though.”
By guys, Lechler means the punt-coverage team. The gunners have to sprint 50 to 60 yards downfield on most punts. If a punt hits the video board, the play is dead and they have to rekick.
You try sprinting all-out half a field a few times, and then immediately take the field on defense.
“I would love for him to get air on the ball, but then we have to do it all over again,” gunner Hiram Eugene said. “It kind of gives them an advantage, because we’re the ones who are running down there.”
The Cowboys’ punt-return team has advantage enough in Patrick Crayton, who ranks second in the NFL with 14.3 yards per carry and two touchdowns.
The higher and longer the punt, the more time the coverage team has to get downfield and stop Crayton before he slices through with a vertical burst.
So, Lechler doesn’t want to hit the board so his cover men don’t burn out. And he doesn’t want to hit it too low and straight so his cover men don’t get burned.
So go ahead, Lechler. Make Phillips’ day.
“I don’t think you can even worry about it,” Raiders coach Tom Cable said. “You’ve just got to let it rip. How do you kick around something that big?”

The New Jersey Nets have lost their first 15 games of the NBA season and, with two road games left on a devilish West Coast swing, look like a mortal lock to match the 0 and 17 landmark of early season futility set in 1988/89 by the Miami Heat and equalled by the ever-hapless Los Angeles Clippers ten years later.

The Nets are not poorly coached and the roster has clearly not quit on Lawrence Frank. However, injuries to guards Devin Harris and Courtney Lee and overall “talent issues” have sent them spiralling on a losing skid that may well see them surpass the unwanted record. Simply put, the likes of starters Trenton Hassell and Josh Boone don’t have the quality required to come out on top, however infrequently, against their opponents. Things have got so bad that they recently lost at home to the arguably-more-hapless New York Knicks.

The Nets’ descent into potentially precedent-setting ignominy is just one of many of sport’s dubious distinctions. From the NFL and MLB to the English Premier League, Formula 1 and boxing, the owners of such unwanted records become part of the folklore of their respective sports and, in the case of some, almost a comical euphemism for continued miserable failure and bad luck. Read on as the Sports Bloke examines 10 of the most dubious distinctions in sport.

Major League Baseball
Although there’s never a shortage of struggling MLB teams, none can match the horrific record of the Pittsburgh Pirates. On September 7 2009, the Pirates lost to the Chicago Cubs. It was their 82nd game of the season and condemned them to a 17th successive sub-500 season. No team in MLB history (or any American sports franchise) has ever matched Pittsburgh’s losing streak.

NBA
There isn’t a single NBA diehard who doubts that the Los Angeles Clippers are jinxed. Take this season for example. Armed with the No 1 pick, they made the correct selection in Blake Griffin only for their new signing to blow his knee out on a dunk in a pre-season game. At the time of writing, Griffin has yet to play for the Clippers. Although the Nets may surpass the Clippers 0 and 17 mark for consecutive early season losses, the franchise holds so many unwanted records that it has become a by-word for futility. To save time and space, I’ll only cite two. The Clippers are the oldest NBA team never to appear in the NBA finals. They are one of three teams (Memphis and Charlotte are the others) to have never won a Conference Championship or Division Title in their history.

Boxing
Far away from the bright lights of Madison Square Garden and Caesers Palace, British boxer Peter Buckley carved out his own particular niche in boxing. He lost more fights than any other boxer in history. The Birmingham welterweight lost 256 of this 300 professional bouts, making a living as a durable punching bag for up-and-coming fighters including Prince Naseem Hamed, Duke McKenzie, Scott Harrison and Kell Brook. At one point, he lost 88 consecutive fights. Regardless of their record, anyone prepared to make a living as a boxer deserves respect. It was fitting, if a little unexpected, that Buckley won his 300th and final fight when he scored a four round points victory over Matin Muhammad in his hometown in October 2008.

Cricket
Former England captain Mike Atherton always struck a lonely figure, an obdurate leader hamstrung by the ineptitude of national selectors and surrounded by mediocre teammates unable to stand up to superior Australian, Pakistani and Indian teams. Although Atherton led his country with stoicism and made big scores against most countries, he was regularly tormented by metronomic Aussie opening bowler Glenn McGrath. Over the years, Atherton was dismissed 19 times by McGrath in test matches, a record for any bowler against one batsman.

Football
You have to feel sympathy with fans of perennial League Two strugglers Rochdale. The Greater Manchester club were relegated to the lowest tier of the Football League in 1974 and have remained there ever since. At the time of writing, Spotland’s finest have spent 35 years in the basement of English football, longer than any other English club.

NFL
The NFL prides itself on the “Any Given Sunday” principle that preaches league-wide parity and the fact that any outcome is possible in any game. Sadly, the Detroit Lions spent the entire 2008 season disproving this theory. With inferior offence, defence and special teams, the hapless Lions conspired to lose all 16 of their regular season games. Their futility surpassed that of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who, in 1976, went 0 and 14 in their first season in the league.

FA Cup
The historical showpiece of the English football season has provided a seemingly endless stream of memorable moments over the last 120 years. Until 1985, no player had suffered the shame of being sent off in an FA Cup final. Manchester United defender etched his name into FA Cup history when he scythed down Everton’s Peter Reid in the 1985 final and was deservedly dismissed from the field. Down to 10 men, the Reds forced extra time and secured victory when Norman Whiteside curled a delicate left footed shot past Neville Seville and inside the far post to score the only goal of the game.

Formula 1
It might be a little bit harsh to label a driver who only appeared in three Grands Prix as the worst racer Formula 1 has ever seen but Jean-Denis Deletraz’s efforts were so poor that he is definitely in the conversation. For example, in his debut race, the 1994 Australian Grand Prix, the Swiss driver qualified 25th out of 26 cars and was lapped by leader Michael Schumacher after 10 laps. Deletraz did manage to find some speed at one stage. Unfortunately, this burst of pace came in the pit lane and he was penalised as a consequence. When his gear box finally failed after 57 laps, he had been lapped 10 times and was approximately 13 minutes behind the race leader.

Baseball
The Philadelphia Phillies may have contested the last two World Series but they also hold one of the most unwanted records in American sport. Although they’ve never been lovable losers and cursed by bad luck, no team has ever lost quite like the Phillies. A lot of this is down to the fact that they’ve existed since 1883. In July 2007, the Phillies were routed 10-2 by the St Louis Cardinals. It was a landmark defeat that condemned them to becoming the first American sports team to lose 10,000 games.

English Premier League
In July 2007, a poll in The Times newspaper labelled Southampton’s one-game wonder Ali Dia as the worst footballer ever to play in the Premier League. Saints manager Graeme Souness had been led to belive Dia was the cousin of World Footballer of the Year George Weah. He was also told the player had played for Paris St Germain and won 12 international caps for Senegal. None of this was true. When Dia replaced Saints legend Matt le Tissier in a 1996 game against Leeds United, everyone realised the awful truth. His performance, described by Le Tissier as “embarrassing to watch”, was mercifully cut short after 52 minutes when Souness cottoned on to the fact he had been duped about Dia’s credentials.

Francisco Rodriguez was born in Mexico, but grew up in Chicago where he became a 5 time Golden Gloves Champion.  In 2004, Rodriguez advanced to the U.S. Olympic trials by outpointing opponent Teon Kennedy.  Years later the two would once again meet in the ring, but this time as professionals.  In the 10^th round, Rodriguez was knocked out by Kennedy and never regained consciousness.  He was taken to Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia where he was immediately rushed into brain surgery.  And although this is another tragic story, this one seems to have somewhat of a happy ending.  Rodriguez’s family donated eight of his organs, including one of his kidney’s to his own uncle who has been on the waiting list for several years.  Francisco’s Brother went on to say, “My family is desperately grieving the loss of Paco, but there is some comfort knowing that he will save at least eight lives and benefit so many families.   “My brother was so strong and healthy. … His heart and lungs were in perfect condition. It would have been a terrible waste not to share his life with others. How could we not help another family?”  This adds to a long list of boxers who have died due to blows suffered in the ring.  And although it is the risk one takes when entering into such a profession, it is comforting to know that others will benefit from the tragic and premature loss of Francisco Rodriguez.  Donations can be made to the Francisco Rodriguez Estate fund account #707331062 at any Chase Bank location.

Hello All,

Well it’s the Holiday Season and you know what that means… Lots of shopping, going to parties, and the hustle and bustle of the season. I don’t mean to be Scrooge but here are some very important safety tips to keep you safe for the Holiday Season.

• Being on your PHONE IS NOT SAFE!!! It is a huge distraction when you are distracted that is a great time for MR. BAD GUY to ATTACK you.
• REMEMBER where you parked your car and AVOID using your KEY LESS ENTRY to find your car. This is a great way to let Mr. Bad Guy where you are at and how to plan his attack.
• If you are out enjoying some HOLIDAY BEVERAGES keep your INTAKE LOW and remember to keep track of your drink. It is very easy for someone to slip something into your drink. Also drink lots of water and eat consistantly this will help you moderate your alcohol levels.

I hope that these help to keep you and your loved ones safe. We have ongoing Self-Defense classes on going during the holidays!!! Not only will they help you to be safe they can also help you avoid adding any extra holiday goodies to your waistline.

Happy Holidays,

Shawn

READ THIS FIRST:

What I am trying to show you how I use photoshop to enhance the image. I think the image that comes out from the camera is already okay to use but if i can make it look even better, why not. Lightroom can be use to enhance up to a point but to complete the transformation, photoshop is needed. When view the image below, please look at them slowly, think to yourself it was you, will u be happy with the image and leave it as that.

Hello All,

In this video clip Sensei Erik Paulson (www.erikpaulson.com) is teaching defending standing guard passes. He shows how to use your feet and hips so not to get your legs controlled, how to use your knees so that the person that is standing can’t punch your head and also he shows how to use an axe kick from your guard!!!

Also don’t miss the last submission combo he does it is pretty cool!!!

Enjoy

First we were forced to watch Chad Dawson dominate Antonio Tarver a second time.  Now, we are going to be subjected to watching David Haye box circles around Nicolai Valuev a second time.  My pick for that fight remains the same, with Haye winning, but getting screwed out of a decision.  This is the modus operandi of promoter Wilfried Sauerland, and apparently it didn’t quite work the last time.

A diversion from the usual topic of this blog here but I thought compelled to wade into the debate started by my fellow Cardiff trainee journalist Josh Pettitt regarding the top sporting icons of the noughties.

I’ve plumped for a pugilist who has had a lot of publicity lately after victories against Ricky Hatton and Miguel Angel Cotto. Manny Pacquaio.

I’ll say only a few words about him because it only requires a few words and a video of his highlights to display why this guy is an icon not just of modern boxing but of all sport.

Ridiculous hand speed, a diamond chin, a tightened defence since working with legend Freddie Roach and an unprecedented ability to carry his power up through no less than seven weight divisions, from flyweight up to welterweight. He has become the complete fighter.

His fame has only really risen to icon proportions in the last few years, particularly after his demolition of British favourite Ricky Hatton. Here is the painful lesson in full:

He has taken on all the big names of recent boxing history including Marco Antonio Barrera and Oscar De La Hoya and beaten them. And who can forget the classic series of fights against Erik Morales. He may have three losses but there is no denying he is one of the best fighters of this generation, and a shining light among a sport that is not what it used to be.

His latest triumph, against Cotto, sealed his place in boxing folklore for years to come and looks likely to have set up a super fight with Floyd ‘Pretty Boy’ Mayweather which will have all boxing fans, avid or otherwise, salivating from all sorts of places.

Oh and did I mention he’s a musician, actor and politician? Enough said. Beat that Lance.

Read about the other contenders:

Roger Federer

Ryan Giggs

Zinedine Zidane

Lance Armstrong

Michael Schumacher

Usian Bolt

Cristiano Ronaldo

Shane Warne

Steven Gerrard

After watching this video, I really hope that the boxing promoters are steadily working towards getting Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. into the boxing ring.  I can’t stand Mayweather’s arrogant and cocky attitude!  After beating Cotto a few short weeks ago, everyone’s been talking about the next match up.  It’s sure to be one of the most anticipated matches next year, and will definitely bring in a lot of cash to both parties and HBO.  But honestly I am looking forward to the look on Mayweather’s face when he gets his ass beat by Pacquiao.  Then I will be able to sit back, replay all the moments in slow motion, and just laugh at Mayweather’s sorry ass!  Let’s get this match over with now, the anticipation is killing me!

I’m not a huge fan of the sporting world, I have to say. It’s ironic – as a child I lived in Twickenham and I went to school in Wimbledon. But even though I couldn’t give a damn about most sports today, I am quite interested in the history of a lot of them. Weird.

The history of boxing is particularly interesting (to me, anyway). It was in 18th and 19th Century London that it really started to take shape in its modern form. Indeed, so far has the sport evolved that it’s impossible to name an all-time great. Witnesseth the picture to your left, an impression of a major fight which took place between the American ex-slave Tom Molineaux and the popular British champion Tom Cribb. The most obvious difference to our eyes is the lack of gloves, which at the time were strictly for amateurs and fighters in training. That ain’t the half of it, though.

I’m getting ahead of myself. Boxing started to become popular as a sport at the beginning of the eighteenth century, but in many ways it was closer to wrestling, or even brawling, than the sport we know. Pretty well anything went, and fatalities were not unknown. It was around 1741 that Jack Broughton did something about this with his Rules.

Broughton was, by the standards of his day, a giant of a man at an inch short of six feet, and massy with it. His day job was working in the Pool of London as a waterman. He was, until the 1850s, entirely undefeated (or so it is claimed). He came  up with his Rules after causing the death of George “The Coachman” Stevenson in an effort to prevent similar fatalities from occurring again. The rules were:

1. That a square of a yard be chalked in the middle of the stage, and on every fresh set-to after a fall, or being parted form the rails, each second is to bring his man to the side of the square, and place him opposite to the other, and till they are fairly set-to at the lines, it shall not be lawful for one to strike at the other.

2. That, in order to prevent any disputes, the time a man lies after a fall, if the second does not bring his man to the side of the square, within the space of half a minute, he shall be deemed a beaten man.

3. That in every main battle, no person whatever shall be upon the stage, except the principals and their seconds, the same rule to be observed in bye-battles, except that in the latter, Mr. Broughton is allowed to be upon the stage to keep decorum, and to assist gentlemen in getting to their places, provided always he does not interfere in the battle; and whoever pretends to infringe these rules to be turned immediately out of the house. Every body is to quit the stage as soon as the principals are stripped, before the set-to.

4. That no man be deemed beaten, unless he fails coming up to the line in the limited time, or that his own second declares him beaten. No second is to be allowed to ask his man’s adversary any questions, or advise him to give out.

5. That in bye-battles, the winning man to have two-thirds of the money given, which shall be publicly divided upon the stage, notwithstanding any private agreements to the contrary.
6. That to prevent disputes, in every main battle the principals shall, on coming on the stage, choose from among the gentlemen present two umpires, who shall absolutely decide all disputes that may arise about the battle; and if the two umpires cannot agree, the said umpires to choose a third, who is to determine it.

7. That no person is to hit his adversary when he is down, or seize him by the ham, the breeches, or any part below the waist: a man on his knees to be reckoned down.

He was also the first to really treat boxing as a science, giving as much to defence as attack, and was regarded by commentators of the day as being virtually untouchable. While doing so, he also invented a device known as the “muffler,” now better known as the ”boxing glove.”

Broughton’s work was built upon by Whitechapel boy Daniel Mendoza, who you may see on your right. Dan Mendoza again put much emphasis on the scientific side of things, believing that really it’s a good idea to avoid being hit where possible. To this end he advocated the use of fancy footwork, ducking and blocking as much as possible. In so doing he was able to become Heavyweight Champion, despite only being a middleweight himself. He published his advice in a 1789 book, The Art of Boxing, whose influence may be seen to this day.

Mendoza died in 1836, two years before the London Prize Ring Rules came in. These rules were, broadly, much the same as Broughton’s, but specifically declared headbutting, biting and hitting below the belt to be simply not on. Holds and throws were still part of the game, as – slightly worryingly – were spiked shoes.

The rules would be amended in 1853 and superseded in 1867 by the famous Marquess of Queensbury Rules. Contrary to popular belief, the Marquess of Queensbury, pictured left, did not actually invent these, merely endorsed them. Queensbury was an immensely unpopular man due to his outspoken atheism and, indeed, his support of the still-only-semi-respectable sport of boxing. Still, his detractors could take comfort in the fact that Oscar Wilde was shagging his son. ANYWAY.

The actual Rules were drafted by John Chambers at the Lillie Bridge Grounds in West London (now the site of a London Underground depot). They are:

1. To be a fair stand-up boxing match in a 24-foot (7.3 m) ring, or as near that size as practicable.
2. No wrestling or hugging allowed.
3. The rounds to be of three minutes duration, and one minute’s time between rounds.
4. If either man falls through weakness or otherwise, he must get up unassisted, 10 seconds to be allowed him to do so, the other man meanwhile to return to his corner, and when the fallen man is on his legs the round is to be resumed and continued until the three minutes have expired. If one man fails to come to the scratch in the 10 seconds allowed, it shall be in the power of the referee to give his award in favour of the other man.
5. A man hanging on the ropes in a helpless state, with his toes off the ground, shall be considered down.
6. No seconds or any other person to be allowed in the ring during the rounds.
7. Should the contest be stopped by any unavoidable interference, the referee to name the time and place as soon as possible for finishing the contest; so that the match must be won and lost, unless the backers of both men agree to draw the stakes.
8. The gloves to be fair-sized boxing gloves of the best quality and new.
9. Should a glove burst, or come off, it must be replaced to the referee’s satisfaction.
10. A man on one knee is considered down and if struck is entitled to the stakes.
11. No shoes or boots with springs allowed.
12. The contest in all other respects to be governed by revised London Prize Ring Rules.

As you can see, we’re really getting the modern sport now. I’m intrigued by the mention of “shoes or boots with springs,” and wondering if maybe they were too hasty in eliminating them. I just think a couple of dudes bouncing around on springs would be an excellent addition to the Art. ANYWAY. These rules, in particular the mandatory use of boxing gloves, changed the way the sport was fought. Note Cribb and Molineaux’ defensive stances above. Now look at a modern boxer, Mr Muhammad Ali.

You’ll notice that he’s now leaning forward. The emphasis is on the fists rather than the forearms for defence.

Bare-knuckle fighting continued until 1882 (officially at least) when it was declared to be “assault occasioning actual bodily harm” in the case of Regina v Coney.

I can't work out whether this man is wearing tights or he has nothing to fear from blows below the belt.

Since then, the sport of boxing is as respectable as any other. This can largely be seen as a result of the old Marquess of Queensbury Rules, which completed the transition from something little better than a pub fight into a sport that was as much about strategy as brute force. The twentieth century saw the emergence of professional boxing. As the sport became more acceptable, so it became less concentrated in the fair city of London. And here endeth the lesson.

This ones for you Jesus

As of Saturday night we have a new WBA super middleweight champion and now possibly (in my opinion anyway) a new favourite to even win the whole tournament.

I’d never heard of Andre Ward before the Super 6 but this guy really impressed me in this fight he had Kessler’s number from the opening bell starting off with quick snappy jabs that  set everything else up and occasionally switching to a south paw stance where he was landing straight lefts right through the center and this was all in the first round!

He also hit Kessler with some vicious right hands hurting Kessler early in the fight and backing him up constantly. He was holding alot but the referee didn’t put a stop to it so Ward kept doing it which is the kind of tactics you expect from a veteran fighter like Bernard Hopkins not a young guy relatively inexperienced only 25 years old.

Ward jabs Kessler as he's coming in

However Ward’s ring generalship was impressive and even more so his speed had Kessler baffled and cautious about coming in because every time he did he got tagged and after suffering two cuts over both eyes due to accidental headbutts the ring doctor called the fight in the 11th round handing Andre Ward his first major title and 3 points going into the next round.

It has to be said though I thought the referee was terrible he didn’t seem to know when to break the fighters up which Kessler complained about after the fight which I think he was well within his rights to do. I don’t recall Ward being warned for holding or telling the fighters to watch their heads he didn’t see the first clash of heads which caused a cut over Kessler’s left eye and he was generally moving around the ring way too slow for my liking thus missing key points in the fight.

Although to be fair I don’t think it would’ve made much difference Kessler looked off and Ward was very much in control of the fight from the opening bell. As the fight went on Ward’s confidence grew and he knew he could do anything he wanted to Kessler without much coming back at him.

A great performance by Ward probably the best in the tournament so far next to Abraham’s KO of Taylor who depending on whether he chooses to remain in the tournament will be Ward’s next opponent.

I think depending on Taylor’s mental state after his brutal back to back KO losses to Froch and Abraham I think it could be a tough fight for Ward though.

Taylor is a big super middleweight who can really drop a bomb on you with the right hand. He is much quicker than Kessler and he could match Andre Ward’s jab also. The question would be how confident does Jermain feel right now coming off the back of those two losses.

In the Froch fight I don’t know whether it was pure fatigue or a lack of concentration (maybe a bit of both) that made him lose that fight but he out boxed Froch for 12 rounds and even had him down in the 3rd the first time he has been down in his entire professional career had he of just stayed on his feet and finished the fight he would’ve won and become a champion again.

Abraham made Jermain look pretty average but I think Abraham is a very good solid fighter who is of course is still undefeated which adds a bit of the invincibility factor to him and was an extremely tough assignment for Jermain or any fighter for that matter but especially a guy coming off a KO loss. Abraham was a little more marked up then I expected though considering he had control of the fight I think Jermain caught him with some jabs early on that produced a little swelling on Abraham’s face so even with the tight guard Jermian was getting some shots through and Abraham did say after the fight that Taylor hits hard so again depending on Taylor’s metal state I give him a good shot of pulling off an upset against Ward.

That being said my favourite to win the tournament is still Abraham who looks very strong and he appears to have a warriors heart also which will make him a very tough fighter to beat although his next fight against Dirrell could present some problems how will he cope against Dirrell’s speed and reflexes?

In the wake of Manny Pacquiao’s demolition of Miguel Cotto the Super 6 has been somewhat overshadowed but with the possibility of a guy coming off a 2 fight losing streak becoming champion again, a guy who was robbed of a decision in his last fight coming back to beat an undefeated fighter for his belt and the prospect of a guy who just lost his belt beating another undefeated fighter for his title I say there is more than enough excitement in this tournament to keep us going untill a mega fight happens between Pacquiao and Mayweather.

Don’t sleep on the Super 6 tournament it’s just getting interesting.

Kessler's cuts over both eyes caused the fight to be stopped

      Once again, Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao has accomplished one thing that the Phililippine government has consistently failed to do: Put the Philippines in the positive awareness of the world.

      For the past months, I’ve been raking through my brain and working my ass off in a bid to help make traveling to the Philippines amenable to the traveling public, which, come to think of it, shouldn’t be difficult at all. Sadly, none of our million-dollar efforts had been enough to mask the sorry state of our dirty politics. None of our country’s 7,107 beautiful islands had been appealing enough to the curious leisure traveler, so as to not anymore ask about the possibility of being kidnapped in a five-star resort. None of our 2,500 marine species (far more than that of the Great Barrier and Hawaiian Reefs combined) had been enough to garner the Philippines a highly coveted spot in major publications or sufficient air time in CNN, unless the news is about massive flooding that wiped out an entire village off the map,  or politically motivated massacres that the police will never ever solve, or a former president indicted for plunder and now vying for another presidential term.

      And then there was Manny, Manny who fought and won against all the world’s best Goliaths, showing the world that Filipinos can really kick ass (or punch faces).

      It’s just so nice to not always be on the defensive side of the ring from time to time, and to not get knocked down by questions even I demand answers to.

Big Wins

• Detroit defeats Cleveland 38-37

The Detroit Lions got their second win of the season with an amazing comeback and a touchdown pass with 0 seconds on the clock.  Matthew Stafford had a career game as he was 26 for 43 with 422 yards and 5 touchdown passes.  Stafford hit Calvin Johnson 7 times for 161 yards and one td, as all of his touchdowns passes went to different receivers.  A critical pass interference call on a Hail Mary pass, gave Detroit 1^st and goal, and Stafford came through with a 1 yard pass to rookie Brandon Pettigrew.

• New York Giants defeat Atlanta 34-31

The Giants had a 17-7 lead going into the 3^rd quarter, and then had a 31-17 lead in the fourth, only to see the game tied at 31 with 28 seconds left in regulation.  Eli Manning, who had 384 yards on 25 for 39 passing and 3 touchdowns, put Lawrence Tynes in range who drilled a 36 yard field goal in overtime to give the Giants a much needed win after 4 straight losses.

• Indianapolis defeats Baltimore 17-15

Peyton Manning keeps his Colts team undefeated with a huge win over the Ravens on the road.  Manning was 22 for 31 with 299 yards and 1 td, as he exposed a weakness in the Raven defense hitting Garcon 6 times for 108 yards.  The win now has the Colts at 10-0, with an even 5-0 mark both on the road and at home.

Other Notable Wins:

Miami defeats Carolina 24-17

Green Bay defeats San Fran 30-24

New England defeats New York 31-14

Tennessee defeats Houston 20-17

Bigger Losses

• Oakland upsets Cincinnati 20-17

Down 14-0 early in the second quarter, Bruce Gradkowski rallied his team for a touchdown before half time.  With only 33 seconds left in the game, Gradkowski hit Louis Murphy for a 29 yard touchdown pass to tie the game.  On the ensuing kickoff, Andre Caldwell fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Brandon Myers, who also caused the fumble.  Janikowski then connected on a 33 yard field goal with only 15 seconds remaining in the game which gave the Raiders the win.

• Kansas City upsets Pittsburgh 27-24

After a 97 yard kickoff return by Jamaal Charles  on the first play of the game, Kansas City found themselves down 17-7 at half.  After a touchdown pass to Leonard Pope from Matt Cassel and a 27 yard field goal, the game was tied at 17.  Mendenhall gave the Steelers the lead again with an 8 yard touchdown run, but Cassel connected for the second time to ties the game at 24.  In overtime Ryan Succop hit a 22 yard chip shot to give the Chiefs the stunning win.

With the gym closing up for a well deserved T Day break and the weather turning damp on us, I have listed a workout that anyone can do at home with a deck of cards, no equipment and about 30-45 min of time so that you still have plenty of time for family and friends this holiday. 

Get a good warm up and stretch in, then….

Each suit is an exercise – Each number on the card is the reps – Face cards are 10 and Aces are 11 – Shuffle up and what ever you turn over is the exercise, then repeat till you finish the deck. 

Hearts – Push ups

Spades – Hindu Squats (x2 so if you pull an 8 do 16)

Diamonds – Burpees

Clubs – Sit Ups

Easy system, effective workout, full body work – Just the thing you need so you can get after it on Thursday!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 

DM

The Things That Matter

by Corianne Egan

We all know boxing is a dangerous sport. We know, from the numerous studies on concussions, that brain injuries are permanent and irreversable. Boxers spend their lives in a seemingly permanemt concussed state… and it takes its toll.

National sports media may not pay attention to boxing because of television contracts and a confusing ranking system, but boxing is a billion-dollar-a-year business. While Congress is concentrated on football players with all of their pads, boxers take  hits to the head and chest, each one potentially deadly. Most boxers get concussions in just the opening rounds of bouts, and keep getting hit for the duration until the match is called.

That is why Francisco Rodriguez died.

He was hit. He was hit one too many times. No one knew his brain was damaged. No one knew this would be his last fight. He was knocked out, rushed to the hospital into brain surgery, and died on Sunday morning. All in the blink of an eye.

Rodriguez was a real-like Rocky. His fans call him the “people’s champ”. He was born and raised in Chicago, and trained running the city streets. Rodriguez was only 25.

In his 25 years on earth, Rodriguez has done many things. He was 14-3-1 lifetime with eight KOs. At only 17, he was the National Golden Glove Champion. In 2004, he advanced to the Olympic trials after beating the very man who caused his brain injury last Friday night. He was in his prime, fighting for a regional title in Philadelphia.

But, you see, the story doesn’t stop there. Rodriguez isn’t just some guy who stepped in to the ring and died there. This morning, ESPN reported that Rodriguez had donated his organs to charity. His vital organs will be donated to eight people who have been waiting for a break, including his uncle. Their break came when Rodriguez’s life ended.

Rodriguez has a wife and a five month old child at home. With his death, eight other people will get to raise their children. Eight people will get to see better days.

Eight people won’t have to fight anymore, because Francisco Rodriguez did the fighting for them.

Somethings in life gather so much of their own momentum that even if it were to try and halt its own inertia, fate would slap it across the face with a raw 40 pound tuna and send it on its way. With Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather in retirement last year, a new ‘pound for pound’ star blossomed into the peak of his career. This was none other than the Philippine sensation, Manny Paquiao: a soft-spoken, well-mannered, religious and extraordinarily gifted fighter who used to sell dougnuts in Manila for a nickel a piece. Born into an impoverished family, they were so poor at one point that Manny’s father actually cooked and ate the family dog. Now a prolific boxer, fans around the world have seen him involved in epic battles with Juan Manuel Marquez, Antonio Barrera, Eric Morales: saw him out-class De-La Hoya, destroy Hatton and pulverize Miguel Cotto most recently. But it is in this last year or so that his boxing class has truly developed under the watchful eye of his trainer and ‘Master’ Freddie Roach.

Mayweather, who could not stay retired for long, stepped out to fight Marquez.  Paquiao, having devastated Ricky Hatton was in the process of setting his sights on  Miguel Cotto in November. So it seemed that the former world pound for pound champion and the new pound for pound prodigy were on an aligned collision course. Mayweather needed to beat Marquez, and Paquiao needed to beat Cotto in order to set up what would possibly be the fight of the decade between ‘Money Mayweather’ and ‘The Pac Man.’

Marquez was made to look average. Average he was not, but that is how Mayweather made him look. One felt so sorry for Marquez and sympathised with his frustration at Floyd’s elusiveness and ability to hit him at will. He was virtually made to miss over and over again, and was punished for every single mistake. Take nothing away from Marquez, and give every praise to Mayweather, who was in scintillating form and dominated him the way Paquiao never could. One could argue that Floyd’s performance that night completely out-shone Manny’s. But let us remind ourselves of how Manny destroyed Hatton inside of two rounds, Mayweather only managing it by the tenth. However, Floyd’s first knock-down of the Hatton fight was arguably one of the greatest left hooks ever witnessed. On the back foot, in the corner of the ring, while side stepping! I do digress.

What Mayweather did to Marquez,  Paquiao answered with his performance over Cotto. Inch by inch, closing off the ring, picking him apart and darting in and out with waspish tactics. By the eighth or ninth round, it was evident that Cotto had nothing left in the tank. He was running on his pride as a fighter, the only thing keeping him on his feet. The referee should have stopped the punishment earlier, as Cotto’s face was beginning to resemble a bruised watermelon with Paquiao’s relentless marauding taking its toll. And so the inevitable result bubbled to the surface. Mayweather defeated Marquez in dominant fashion, and so too did Paquiao. The two ‘acclaimed’ best pound for pound fighters in the world are indeed the best ‘pound for pound.’ At this moment in time, no-one else even comes close.

So now we are closer than ever to a real possibility of a clash between the cream of the crop. But there is only one space on the throne for these two kings of the division. Mayweather or Paquiao? Class, skill, speed and strength versus class, skill, speed and strength. Skill wise and physical conditioning-wise, they are nigh inseparable. However, I believe the advantage does lie with Mayweather. His defensive skills are superior, he’s bigger, has more reach, has a more well-rounded boxing style and is unbeaten. It would be a crying shame for both of them to come this far, and miss out on a momentous duel. I am not a superstitious man, but somewhere right now, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Paquiao have just been slapped by a 40 pound tuna.

As most of us should know, the probable 2010 fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr is going to be a classic. Las Vegas has suffered a lot due to the recession and what better way to generate some money than to host, what will most likely be, the biggest fight in boxing history. Predictions for the pay-per-view sales are at about $5 million. Since Pacquiao’s last win over Miguel Cotto (12 Round TKO), many places aside from Vegas are looking to host the fight. However, Vegas wants to host this fight badly enough, that they’re willing to build a new stadium for it! The arena will be a 30, 000 seat outdoor stadium on a Las Vegas Boulevard. Shit son.

Click to read the Yahoo sports article.

Matt Vanda, ever eager to make a fight, is calling out Jungle Boy Zach Walters.

In a press release being distributed tonight, Vanda is quoted as below:

“I want Zach Walters.  Walters didn’t want to fight Phil Williams.  I stepped up and beat his rival.  It’s time for Zach and his trainer Chuck Horton to put up or shut up.  We got a date in January in Minneapolis and if he wants it he can come get it…If he wins [on December 4th], we can get it done.  My people will call his people before that.  Let’s see if they answer the phone.”

• Vanda (42-9 with 22 wins by knockout), who usually fights as a junior middleweight or middleweight, is indeed coming off a surprising win against Phil “The Drill” Williams (11-2 with 10 knockouts), who has fought most of his professional bouts as a light heavyweight.
• Zach Walters (24-4 with 19 kayos), who has contested most of his bouts at light heavyweight, is scheduled to meet 23-7 Larry Sharp of Pine Falls MB in a super middleweight bout on December 4th at Target Center.

LAS VEGAS – In what’s being hailed as the battle of the P.I.M.P. versus the W.I.M.P., rapper 50 Cent and sports broadcasting legend Marv Albert will face off in a charity boxing match at the MGM on New Year’s Eve.

The bout, the proceeds of which will raise money for Albert’s Back Biters Anonymous support group and Cent’s Yankees hat collection, comes on the heels of their reported scuffle backstage at Jimmy Kimmel Live last week. Both parties, who originally denied anything ever happened, have since come clean with the truth.

“That fake hair wearin’, cross-dressin’ fool ain’t nothin’ but a wanksta,” Cent said. “I can’t wait to finish what I started.”

50 Cent is not pulling any punches - yet.

Albert, who first claimed he never even saw 50 Cent backstage, issued the following statement on Tuesday.

“It is with deep regret that I must admit that I let the best of my emotions get to me when I saw Mr. Cent’s associate trying to use my dressing room phone,” Albert said. “While I am ashamed that I would let a scandal impact my reputation like this, I cannot let another man attack me verbally. I am, after all, the Master of the Microphone.”

Albert was seen walking the Brooklyn Bridge one way Tuesday morning before returning back in a cab as part of what he calls “the most intense workout program” he’s ever been on, as well as “the only one.”

The fight may just be weeks away, but Albert is confident that the difference in the match will be his trainer, broadcasting partner and former NBA coach, Mike Fratello.

“In the booth, I call him the Czar of the Telestrator,” Albert said. “But in the ring, he’s the Czar of the Player Hater.”

50 Cent, on the other hand, plans to show up on fight night and “train his ass with my fist,” the rapper said, figuratively referring to Albert’s rear end.

Albert knows all about "hard" time.

The two New York City natives – Albert from Brooklyn and Cent (a.k.a. Curtis Jackson) from Queens – also have different publicity campaigns.

50 Cent’s focuses on the fight’s odds with a poster that simply says, “One to Fitty million.”

Albert, on the other hand, is leveraging an old photo his team is recirculating to portray his tough image.

“Marv gots plenty of street cred,” Fratello said. “And we wanna remind Fitty who he be dealin’ with. So before you all go and start dissin’ my man here, you best realize what he’s capable of and stop frontin’.”

When relayed Fratello’s quote, Albert simply laughed.

“Now that’s funny. Mike is about as white as you can get. He certainly can’t talk street,” Albert said. “I can’t wait to pop a cap in his tuchas.”

Dearest GW,

Okay, so, this is hilarious. Almost as hilarious as 2012 was, but not quite (seriously, it was worth seeing only for its hilariously bad portrayal of the partial apocalypse). I have just learned that Hugh Jackman (whom you may remember from such films as: X-Men, Van Helsing, and that adorably misguided movie about time travel, elevators and romance: Kate & Leopold) will be staring in a movie about boxing robots. Yes, that’s right! I just said boxing robots. This is the reason I mention it to you, really: I thought that you’d find that combination of things amusing. Here’s a little bit about the story-line (lifted from Variety):

Story centers on a fighter who has to reinvent himself when human boxers are replaced by robots. Jackman will play a struggling Robot Boxing promoter who finds a discarded robot that always seems to win. He also discovers he has a 11-year-old son, and they bond as the robot brawls its way toward the top.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: um, whaaaaaat?! Either that, or you’re making a very interesting face at your screen. Truth is, I’ve read some pretty strange synopses of movies, and they’ve turned out to be decent, the most memorable of which is definitely Children of Men. The original synopsis of Children of Men on IMDB made it sound like the worst idea ever and I was ready to bid Clive Owen’s career goodbye. Then I found out that it was a novel by P.D. James and someone wrote a better synopsis, and all was well. Of course, it turned out to be one of my favourite movies of that year. …I’m not sure a flick about robot boxing would fare as well. I guess we’ll have to see, as the king of robot-related cinema Steven Spielberg has gotten himself ensconced in this puppy, and people do still go for Steven’s blockbuster fare.

The only thing that would make this whole thing a more fitting target for the blogosphere would be if the whole thing was to be staged as a musical. I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but apparently the brawny Hugh Jackman likes to sing show tunes. Let’s write Steven a letter and convince him to make this film stranger-sounding than it already is!

…or not.

Cheers and much love,
Sara

P.S. I promise that next week’s letter will be a little more engaging. Even you need some silly fluff from Hollywood, sometimes, yes?