Floyd Mayweather and the semantic satiation of legacy
After seeing Floyd Mayweather spill a few drops of blood in a closely-contested, hard-fought but well-deserved victory over Marcos Maidana last Saturday, it’s natural to wonder whether the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter can retain that crown until he retires. Yes, he won, but we haven’t seen him struggle like that since his first bout with … Continue reading
Mayweather faces Maidana and a helluva dilemma
As February threatened to bleed into March, Floyd Mayweather still hadn’t announced an opponent for his scheduled spring bout, and the anticipation drove some fighters out of their Twitter minds. Amir Khan was once so sure he’d get the Mayweather payday he cancelled a December showdown with Devon Alexander, but as he tired of waiting … Continue reading
Controversy surrounds Lolo Jones, but this one’s not on her
Last Sunday world-class hurdler and 2012 Summer Olympic media darling Lolo Jones was named to the U.S. bobsled team for next month’s Winter Olympics in Sochi, a mild surprise given her performance on the World Cup circuit but an inevitable choice when the squad’s selection criteria are both stats-based and subjective. To arrive at is … Continue reading
All You People Look Alike: Jermain Defoe Edition
July 2007, I stood on the sideline of the main athletic field at Upper Canada College, watching Argentina’s national team practice for a semifinal match at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, a tournament that began and ended in Toronto. I was watching guys like Maxi Moralez and Sergio “Kun” Aguero do their thing, scribbling notes … Continue reading
Secular Christmas Songs: My all-time top 5.5
Little known fact about me: I’m an armchair music connoisseur. Not because I played tenor sax for two years in middle school (which I did), but mainly because it’s in the genes. Grandpa played piano; uncle Jeff plays bass and has gold records and Junos; my sister Dana is the most sought-after Mulatto Soprano on … Continue reading
A Proposal: Adrien Broner needs to keep trolling
Marcos “Chino” Maidana established the pattern in the opening moments of last Saturday’s clash with previously undefeated rising superstar Adrien “The Problem” Broner: Jab to the body and watch Broner reach down to his navel to parry the shot, then feint the jab, watch Broner swat at it, and blast his jaw with a thunderous left … Continue reading
Guillermo Rigondeaux, Pugilism and Purgatory
When two-time Olympic gold medallist and Cuban boxing legend Guillermo Rigondeaux first arrived in the U.S. in 2008, his handlers believed he could earn $100 million fighting professionally. And when he dismantled Nonito Donaire to unify the 122-pound titles in April, he believed he’d finally claimed a hard-earned spot among boxing’s top performers, and thought … Continue reading
Oh, Canada: Slippery Slope to the Sports Moral High Ground
I spent part of Tuesday afternoon chatting with Toronto Star colleague Cathal Kelly about a column he was writing examining commercialized NCAA athletics, and the way those sports prod fans, administrators and regular folks into irrational decisions. Like kicking paying customers off a Delta Airlines flight so the University of Florida men’s basketball team could … Continue reading
The Blueprint to Beating Floyd Mayweather — It’s really not that hard
Records say Floyd “Money” Mayweather is undefeated, and most so-called boxing experts regard him as the top fighter in the world pound-for-pound. But those of us who really understand the sweet science know Mayweather is creation of careful matchmaking and clever marketing, and that he’s spent his career ducking tough fighters like Shane Mosley. I … Continue reading
Influences: Ralph Wiley On Writing
When I’m between books I return to Ralph Wiley — specifically to Serenity, which, along with W.C. Heinz’ The Professional, is about finest book on the sweet science I’m aware of. Give me half a reason or none at all and I’ll pull it from the bookcase, crease the spine and start reading. But tonight, … Continue reading
Morgan Campbell: A Writer on Sports and More 