By Lyle Fitzsimmons - Here’s a news flash, folks… I love sports.
I played football, baseball and hockey to moderate success as a youngster, picked up distance running as an intermittent hobby in my 30s and have been fortunate enough to scratch out something resembling a post-college living watching and writing about athletes in action.
But I’ve always had a special affection for boxing.
Whether it was the feel of hitting a heavy bag, landing a right hand or simply sitting back with the wife and watching a couple high-enders mix it up on pay-per-view TV, it’s had me since hello.
I never kidded myself into thinking I had mettle to compete on anything near a respectable level, but through some middling training in a north Philly gym, a sparring match in Tampa with a female world champion and years of simply being around fighters and trainers, I do have a feel for what it requires.
And even in the midst of his second major career crisis, I think Victor Ortiz has it.
Yes, I was watching his fight with Josesito Lopez on Saturday night – P.S., I heart Sky Sports – and yes, I was as stunned as a battered Lopez appeared to be when referee Jack Reiss waved his arms to signal the fight would not continue into its final nine minutes at Staples Center.
I’ll even concede that my split-second gut reaction was… “Holy ****, this guy’s career is over.” [Click Here To Read More]
I played football, baseball and hockey to moderate success as a youngster, picked up distance running as an intermittent hobby in my 30s and have been fortunate enough to scratch out something resembling a post-college living watching and writing about athletes in action.
But I’ve always had a special affection for boxing.
Whether it was the feel of hitting a heavy bag, landing a right hand or simply sitting back with the wife and watching a couple high-enders mix it up on pay-per-view TV, it’s had me since hello.
I never kidded myself into thinking I had mettle to compete on anything near a respectable level, but through some middling training in a north Philly gym, a sparring match in Tampa with a female world champion and years of simply being around fighters and trainers, I do have a feel for what it requires.
And even in the midst of his second major career crisis, I think Victor Ortiz has it.
Yes, I was watching his fight with Josesito Lopez on Saturday night – P.S., I heart Sky Sports – and yes, I was as stunned as a battered Lopez appeared to be when referee Jack Reiss waved his arms to signal the fight would not continue into its final nine minutes at Staples Center.
I’ll even concede that my split-second gut reaction was… “Holy ****, this guy’s career is over.” [Click Here To Read More]
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