Monday, April 11, 2005
You gotta cut me Mick
Another week, another AWESOME episode of The Contender. It was a great fight between two real boxers. Unlike the previous week, both of these guys were emotionally stable and acted like warriors. I hated to see Tarick lose, although I like Juan also. Juan was like a windmill in 2 rounds, with a lot of heart but no discipline. He took a ton of hits he shouldn't have. How the judges came up with a unanimous decision is beyond me. But he did land a ton of punches, and beat Tarick into loopy fatigue.
The reason I like Tarick is because he was a man, in the archetype that all boxers should be men. He respected his opponent, took the decision with class, and didn't show any ridiculous 'roid-esque outbursts of crying or locker-room destruction. He was cool, calm, stayed in the fight mentally, landed a ton of shots when his arms were like anchors, and above all, hugged the young Juan after the fight was over.
Tarick and Juan both probably have the most heart on the show. Juan just turned 18 before the show's taping began. As a matter of fact, he looks younger. I half expected a scandal to pop up with He's lean, but doesn't look strong. Yet he hits fast and hard. He has so much desire for the sport than he moved to Mexico just so he could compete professionally. He lacks a ton of discipline and patience... he'll be great when he gets a few more years of competition under his belt.
Tarick's heart comes from the fact that he was once ranked in the top 10, and had a scheduled championship fight... until the champ backed out. He was so disheartened that all of his hard work built up to nothing, that he hung up his gloves, and settled down to be a family man. This show was his way of settling up with his heart; walking back into the ring, and hoping to see if this time he can earn his chance and dig down and make something of it.
Tarick was a man who not only was a great boxer who just missed out on his break during his prime, but a great man to boot. Its too bad he is off the show already. If you ever wonder why people like boxing, watch the fight from this week... it got a little sloppy towards the end, but it was as artful and as honorable as the sport gets.
But stock up on that warm, fuzzy feeling of seeing heart in the ring... next week it sounds like someone walks off the show... as in all sports, there are a lot of guys with no sack... I mean heart... that run when things aren't filling their perception of ideal situation.
NBC: Great stuff.
Horns up.
The reason I like Tarick is because he was a man, in the archetype that all boxers should be men. He respected his opponent, took the decision with class, and didn't show any ridiculous 'roid-esque outbursts of crying or locker-room destruction. He was cool, calm, stayed in the fight mentally, landed a ton of shots when his arms were like anchors, and above all, hugged the young Juan after the fight was over.
Tarick and Juan both probably have the most heart on the show. Juan just turned 18 before the show's taping began. As a matter of fact, he looks younger. I half expected a scandal to pop up with He's lean, but doesn't look strong. Yet he hits fast and hard. He has so much desire for the sport than he moved to Mexico just so he could compete professionally. He lacks a ton of discipline and patience... he'll be great when he gets a few more years of competition under his belt.
Tarick's heart comes from the fact that he was once ranked in the top 10, and had a scheduled championship fight... until the champ backed out. He was so disheartened that all of his hard work built up to nothing, that he hung up his gloves, and settled down to be a family man. This show was his way of settling up with his heart; walking back into the ring, and hoping to see if this time he can earn his chance and dig down and make something of it.
Tarick was a man who not only was a great boxer who just missed out on his break during his prime, but a great man to boot. Its too bad he is off the show already. If you ever wonder why people like boxing, watch the fight from this week... it got a little sloppy towards the end, but it was as artful and as honorable as the sport gets.
But stock up on that warm, fuzzy feeling of seeing heart in the ring... next week it sounds like someone walks off the show... as in all sports, there are a lot of guys with no sack... I mean heart... that run when things aren't filling their perception of ideal situation.
NBC: Great stuff.
Horns up.
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