Usyk v Fury - A contest of intrigue
JOHN WIGHT previews the Ukrainian boxer’s showdown with the Gypsy King for the title of undisputed in Riyadh on May 18
England and Scotland set to battle at Twickenham today for Calcutta Cup
“A CHAMPION is someone who gets up when they can’t”
So said legendary American heavyweight, Jack Dempsey, whose very name is synonymous with the hardest of hard times endured by the US working class in the decade following the first world war.
This particular quote breathes verisimilitude into the cliche that boxing is a metaphor for life, which for the vast majority of us has and does involve getting up at precisely the point at which we don’t believe we can.
More from this author
Following the untimely death of 28-year-old Irish boxer John Cooney, JOHN WIGHT explores how the sport can be made ‘safer’ than it is at present
JOHN WIGHT writes on the life and illustrious career of Dick McTaggart – perhaps the most underappreciated boxer in history
JOHN WIGHT writes on legendary boxing trainer and philosopher, Cus D’Amato
JOHN WIGHT tells the story of boxer Cuthbert Taylor, who was deemed ‘not white enough’ to be British champion, and how a Welsh theatre group have chosen to keep his name alive
Similar stories
JOHN WIGHT discusses how top-flight boxing is today a ‘late stage capitalist entity’
Tyson Fury full of confidence ahead of fight with Oleksandr Usyk