The Mancunian’s display against Deontay Wilder has complicated the immediate future of the heavyweight divisionWhen Tyson Fury got up from the canvas to finish like a wounded bull in the 12th round of his achingly unfair draw with Deontay Wilder in a faraway ring, he not only moved alongside his shocked opponent and Anthony Joshua as an unbeaten claimant to heavyweight supremacy. He single-handedly made the struggle with gloves a very human experience again. That makes him genuine box-office.Fury is no Muhammad Ali, but he revives memories of that era when charisma had a believable link to its classical roots: “a divinely conferred power or talent”, as the Oxford English Dictionary puts it. Pointing to the skies, Fury said later...
From a pair of Ali v Cooper dates to Tyson and Bruno, half a dozen GB v US boxing battles from down the years“You got a Queen, you need a King,” crowed the brash, unbeaten 21-year-old Cassius Clay on his arrival in London in 1963. The chances of local hero Henry Cooper upsetting the princeling relied on a left hook nicknamed ’Enry’s ’Ammer. Cooper was left-handed but fought orthodox, carrying his power in his lead hand. If his opponent was worried, he hid it well. Entering the ring wearing a crown and a robe emblazoned with “Cassius Clay, The Greatest”, the visitor soon found his rhythm. A slashing jab opened the fragile skin above Cooper’s left eye and Clay began...
USA spent much of the year on home soil but recent trip to Europe provided valuable experience on and off the pitchSince the United States lifted the World Cup in Canada in 2015 their journey towards next summer’s title defence has been littered with potholes. This year, however, something has clicked. They have won 18 of their 20 matches – draws against France and Australia in the SheBelieves Cup and Tournament of Nations respectively came in friendly competitions that they won – and despite the progress of their competitors it is hard to look past them retaining their crown.USA have spent much of the year on home soil but the decision to bring the team to Europe for their final...
This week’s roundup also features propelling things at targets and narrowly avoiding being trampled1) It’s Tiger Woods v Phil Mickelson nonsense next week, which means an ideal time to look back at some maverick and even random golf matches. Here’s Tiger v Sergio in the Battle at Bighorn (2000), Seve v Jack in the Toyota Challenge of Champions (1986) and Ben Hogan v Sam Snead (1965). Then Skins … at Wentworth in 1988, Walton Heath in 1991, Lee Trevino at PGA West (1987) and Woods, again, at the Memorial Skins in 2009. And how about the $18,000 Putt-Putt Skins Game – 1989 edition and then 1992? And how could we possibly forget a famous 1964 duel at Stoke Park?2) Ferrari...
The American boxing legend conquered his profession and piled up more money than he’ll ever be able to spend, but a sense of purpose in retirement has proven far more elusiveAll told it could have been worse for Floyd Mayweather.On Wednesday, the five-division boxing champion backed out of a planned New Year’s Eve fight with the Japanese kickboxing star Tenshin Nasukawa less than three days after he appeared at a downtown Tokyo press conference announcing the bout, claiming he was “blindsided” by the promoter regarding the magnitude of the event. Continue reading...