This time I guess I considered myself somewhat of a regular- after having watched the De la Hoya/Pacquiao fight at Nike’s amazingMontalban Theater, I now had previous boxing experiences to draw from. Was Pacquiao as good as they said? Or did he just beat a washed-up old fighter?There were many doubters, but I must say that I am a fan and believer in thePac Man. I am not a huge fan of boxing (I find it unsettling the way that twomen beat on each other until one is rendered unconscious while the crowdimpatiently waits for spilled blood), but I immediately loved Pacquiao.
While other boxers come out into the ring punching theair and their own faces, looking angry and tough, the Pac Man enters the ringwith a smile on his face. Is it just me, or is he the cutest athlete ever? Hecould definitely kick my ass (as well as De la Hoya’s, and certainly Hatton’s),but he really does seem like a genuinely likeable guy. In all the interviews Ihave seen, he stresses his own work ethic and coaching as the assets that ledhim to victory, rather than bad-mouthing opponents or pointing out theirshort-comings. As far as I can tell, he is the only boxer to talk this way. ButI suppose when you are the Pac-Man, your boxing can speak for itself.
In the pre-fight festivities, my partner in crime, JerryDarko, and I interviewed the crowd, making our best guesses for match ahead.Nike had all guests make predictions not only about the winner, but in whatround. Most people seemed to think it was Pacquiao (although I wasn’t sure ifwe were talking to a bias crowd, considering Pacquiao is sponsored by Nike),but many thought it would go to the judges for a final decision. They reallycouldn’t have been more wrong. Your guess?
Jerry portended Pac Man in the 5th, but he did it in the 2nd. The 2nd round?! Yes, it was unbelievable. Lessthan 6 minutes of fighting and it was over; Hatton was down for the count, somesaying it may have been a career-ender. But in that 6 minutes, the Pac Manpacked in all the excitement of a full fight, and spared me an extra 10 roundsof ass-kicking. I have done my best to give you a quick recap of our fabulousevening in the following video. However, my recommendation: next time comewatch Pacquiao fight at the Montalban. I may not watch any other boxers, but Iwill watch the Pac Man.
Now here's a sport that requires you to use your noggin' twicefold!
Chessboxing
is a hybrid sport that (obviously) combines boxing with chess play.
Though it sounds a bit wonky, this sport is actually pretty challenging and competitive.
Each round requires the athletes to box and play chess at the same
time. Imagine throwing and receiving punches for several minutes and
then having to sit down and contemplate your next chess move. How
mentally exhausting!
Even Dylan McClain of the New York Times thinks that chessboxing might have a good chance of becoming an Olympic sport. Can you imagine?
Check out ESPN's coverage that does a way better job explaining this unique sport.
The media has been all over R&B star Chris Brown for his alleged assault of his girlfriend (who's also an R&B celebrity) Rihanna on February 8th. Though Chris officially said sorry and agreed to seek therapy, fans have been storming the web with comments. Some think that it's a personal matter; that reporters shouldn't get involved; that Chris and Rihanna will work through their problems; that "celebs are human just like us." [Does that mean that it's "only human" to physically abuse the people we love? I'd argue for a better sense of humanity.]
Then there are those who want to challenge Chris to a real fight, rather than an episode of domestic violence. Specifically, LA Boxing president Anthony Geisler started the Facebook group "I Want to Fight Chris Brown." As of this post, the group has 469 members ready to step into the ring. The group formed just a few days ago, but they haven't received word from Chris yet. LA Boxing trains individuals in kickboxing and mixed martial arts.
I'm not sure how effective this fight will be in ending domestic violence (DV), or even in helping Rihanna. But now we know that lots of folks in the Facebook community are willing to take a stand against DV. To be sure, it's much healthier to fight in the ring where a code of ethics applies than to fight in the home, where physical abuse brings only suffering.
The lovely folks over at Bitch are talking about a topic I brought up a few months ago during the summer Olympics: the sexualization of female athletes.
La Macha does a great job of asking people to think about the implications of the hyper-sexualized female athlete, and also if there's a way female athletes can negotiate between a sex positive image and the aforementioned.
There is a thin line, in my humble opinion. I mean, really, where do we draw the line - or rather who is doing the drawing of the line? Is it the female athletes themselves or the advertisers and companies that endorse these athletes?
Speaking of advertising, the folks over a Jezebel also brought up the issue regarding sexist advertising. We all know sex sells - or do we? Is this a universal claim or just something posed so consumers (you and I) remain complacent?
If you ask car racer Danica Patrick, she'd probably that this pose is empowering. So be it. Like I said in a previous post I don't have a problem with grown women doing what grown women want to do.
But then La Macha brought up another key point about 'white' female sexualization versus women of color. Perhaps some of the more 'feminized' athletes who can sell a sexualized athletic image are boxer Laila Alli and WNBA player Candace Parker. But what about when idiots call female athletes like Serena and Venus Williams monkeys, or when the women of the Rutgers basketball team are called nappy-headed hoes. What are folks really saying about Western beauty here? And what in the world are we, as consumer and sports enthusiasts buying into exactly?
As the debate continues, my head throbs and my blood pressure rises...
World middleweight boxing champion Laila Ali has more going for her than stellar athletic ability. As the youngest daughter of world-renowned boxing champ Muhammad Ali, she has some pretty big shoes to fill. But she proved her boxing worth right from the get-go when she knocked out her very first opponent without a hitch.
That was back in 99. Since then, Laila has kept rocking the ring and using her time in the spotlight to advocate for positive social change. Ali currently serves on the board of trustees for the Women’s Sports Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks to “advance the lives of girls and women through sport and physical activity.” She works for better health and fitness through her partnerships with the American Diabetes Alliance and the Nation’s Food Bank Network, which helps to alleviate hunger for low-income children in the United States. She has participated in fundraisers for ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History. She is an outspoken advocate of women and girls in sports, and also addresses the specific challenges faced by women of color and low-income women in sports. Rock on, Laila.
Watch this short video segment where Laila talks about how media representations affect young people, women, and people of color.
The media has been all over R&B star Chris Brown for his alleged assault of his girlfriend (who's also an R&B celebrity) Rihanna on February 8th. Though Chris officially said sorry and agreed to seek therapy, fans have been storming the web with comments. Some think that it's a personal matter; that reporters shouldn't get involved; that Chris and Rihanna will work through their problems; that "
