Farewell – Sir Henry Cooper
Sir Henry Cooper was a gentleman in a sport that doesn’t have too many. Although one wonders if recent British boxers have taken their lead from the way Our Enry behaved.
I saw him once, as he had been asked to open a new shop opposite our offices in Ipswich. He was just strolling down the street confidently towards the shop, people were calling and talking to him in a friendly way and he was signing autographs and chatting to the crowd like only real celebrities do.
He’ll be sadly missed by all.
The Acceptable Face of Violence
I’m very much against violence, except in one place; the boxing ring. Judging by the reports this morning, the fight last night between Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana was a real thriller.
I like Khan and he seems to be wearing his world championship belt with dignity. It was also reported that when he went training in the Philippines recently, with the incomparable Manny Pacquiaio, who is also trying to do his best for his troubled homeland.
I think it is true to say that the Muslim community both in the UK and worldwide needs more role-models like Khan.
We will have the World Cup in an Islamic country in 2022. It would be wonderful, if the England team contained one or more footballers with Islamic roots.
How to Advertise a World Title Fight?
This was a picture I took at Blackhorse Road station.
Watsidis - Mitchell
I first saw it from the other side of the road and couldn’t work out what the guy was wearing!
Farewell Harry Carpenter
The BBC has produced some legendary commentators. Harry Carpenter was one of the best and most professional. He was certainly the best boxing commentator.
Sadly, ‘Arry died last night. He will be sorely missed by everyone.
But don’t just take my word for it. George Foreman has just said a lot more on Radio 5.
Naseem Hamed and Muhammad Ali
Naseem Hamed has just appeared on Radio 5’s Sunday morning sports program.
He talked lucidly about his career, other boxers and his life in general. He felt that he had been lucky compared to most other fathers in that he had been able to see his three sons grow up. I know a bit about the last bit, as I was working from home during their formative years, but I probably wasn’t the best father.
He also criticised the circus that the great Muhammad Alihas become. He has been paraded in the last week or so around the UK and it is a tragedy to see the state he is in. As Nasem said, he should be at home being properly cared for.
I hover between two opposite views on boxing; either it is barbaric and should be banned or it is a noble and exciting sport that has given many a chance to avoid a life of crime and destitution. I think too, that in America there is a lot more sleaze and shady hangers-on in the sport, than in the UK, where we tend to treat our boxers as heroes, even if we don’t like boxing.
Try to find anyone who doesn’t like Henry Cooper for a start!
But the most interesting thing about Nasem’s interview was that for someone who has had his troubles in the past few years, he seems to have turned that side of his life around. Good luck to him!
The Anonymous Widower 