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[Willie Pep 229]

I saw an ice bag in his gear, but no Enswell, not yet I guess (circa 1950). His second probably has a half dollar in his pocket. *

Bobby James was a strawman; in the middle of a serious losing streak.

Cartier fought all over New York including several 10 rounders. Likely on...

[Willie Pep 229]

I have seen Money speak but a few times.

Exclusively on HBO post fights interviews with Larry Merchant.

Mayweather always seemed angry, arrogant, and distrustful.

But IMO the failure lay with Merchant. He was, as he always was, as interesting as dry white toast....

[Willie Pep 229]

Yeah. Exactly, that's the way it has played out.

To understand the lineal title you have to know boxing. You have to understand the logic, the unwritten rules, the precedents.

But because this takes actual knowledge, of the fight game's history, casuals will gravitate towards...

[Willie Pep 229]

If one wants to know what the populous thought of Muhammad Ali and his resistance to the 'draft,' just tract the opinion polls: "Do you approve of the President's handling of the war in Vietnam?"

They are (almost) perfectly inverse.

In 1967 Ali was a coward.
...

[Willie Pep 229]

No one was talking the WBC in 1970-71.

The way it went . . .

The NYSAC recognized the Buster Mathis-Joe Frazier fight for their vacant title. (March 1968)

The WBA Tournament ended with Jimmy Ellis winning a snoozer against Jerry Quarry. (April 1968)

...

[Willie Pep 229]

Ali's comeback fight against Jerry Quarry (KO3) was scheduled for 15 rounds, as was the Bonavena fight.

If Ali had beaten Frazier the first time out I suspect that Quarry (1) and Bonavena would both be listed as title defenses today.

So goes the history of the lineal title...

[Willie Pep 229]

I know nothing about these men's lives post boxing. Their largeness, their politics, their entrepreneurship, are all way past me.

Now speaking from within the ring . . .

. . . Jimmy Braddock did the most for poor people. *

. . . Joe Louis did the most for racial...

[Willie Pep 229]

Never saw that.

A little bit true a little be Trump.

Of course it was a hundred different things that brought it down....

[Willie Pep 229]

Rocky was a great film. One of the top boxing films made.

It would be better remembered, i.e. respected today, had there never been a sequel...

[Willie Pep 229]

This photo of Johnson reminds me of the oft seen photo of Tunney-Greb 1.

Tunney looks too thin for his body and you can see that he needed a couple of years to completely fill out.

That's what I think I see in Johnson above. He is not yet the man he would become.
...

[Willie Pep 229]

I remember KO Magazine discussing how long Michael Moorer would be champion. No one could see him lasting less than five years. There seemed no one on the horizon could beat him.

[Willie Pep 229]

Re Bold: Good work if you can get it.

Mayweather got it. It does shit for his legacy but boy he made the bucks.

It's called prize fighting.

I can't blame him for working the system to his advantage.

My complaint still lies in his refusal to bring his...

[Willie Pep 229]

Yeah they, the French, stripped Johnson of his title. Then staged a McVea-Langford title go. It meant little.

Then the French commission recognizing its total lack of actual power, despite its authority, reversed their decision and JJ was still champion.

The power of the lineal...

[Willie Pep 229]

"It's better to deal with Arum, he will only rob you." – Steve Wynn of The Mirage

[Willie Pep 229]

I'm OK with those kinds of moves. I had no problem with him dumping Arum.

Also, I thought the McGregor fight was a smart move. A serious money grab for an easy fight.

I would never begrudge a fighter an easy payday.

I was all in for letting the Japanese crab guy...

[Willie Pep 229]

Well you're not going to be thanking me for my response.

Yet another opportunity for me to piss and moan about how much I dislike Mayweather Jr.

I am watching an HBO fight, Money vs. A Somebody.

The 'Somebody' has no skills that could match Mayweather Jr. and not...

[Willie Pep 229]

Paulie Walnuts survived the Columbo wars back in the 70s by the skin of his balls. Played both sides against the middle. Sounds just like our friend Don King....

[Willie Pep 229]

Sorry I digressed off the topic....

[Willie Pep 229]

So you can see a line in your minds eye, but it's contingent on a personal evaluation of the activity.

Then, there is no real definition for "athlete" unless we can bring it to consensus....

[Willie Pep 229]

My two cents

There seems to me to be two categories to define the word "athlete."

First, golf is an athletic event, so in one definition, the participant must be an athlete. Right?

BUT what golf lacks is direct interaction / competition with another athlete....