the love of boxing

Evening gents and merry Christmas.

I've been wondering of late quite how I first got into boxing. I'm a complete pacifist in normal walks of life. I've never been in a fight in my life and never needed to (touch wood). I'm five foot nine and ten stone wet through. When blokes try impressing women with their muscles and Neanderthal goings on I find it cringe worthy, yet for some reason as soon as two boxers step through the ropes I love it.

I like most have times that I find it difficult to defend boxing due to all the problems. Multiple belts, doping, pound for pound fighters not fighting, multiple organisations, dodgy decisions so on and so forth. But for all that I could show them Manny v Marquez four. Lopez v salido. Guerrerro v berto. And all of that just this year.

I think it's all the different styles that I like. You can have a wrecking ball like Tyson that's great to watch or the sublime skills and movement of Mayweather.

I still defy anyone to watch Corrales v Castillo one and not be gripped by the sport. For me fights like that are why I never give up on boxing.

Here's looking forward to some more thrilling and intriguing action in 2013 to deflect from the undoubted problems that will arise.

Hear Hear

The question I often get asked as the only boxing fan from my group of friends is why do you watch boxing? After some of the events of this year it gets a bit harder to answer that question but for me there really is no excitement in sport like a proper world title fight.

From now on if I get asked that question I'm going to introduce them to donaire. Last year I was on a friends thirtieth night out when ward froch was on. I convinced everyone to watch the fight in a casino in Leeds. With froch normally being in exciting fights I thought it was a chance to convert a few people. Unfortunately it was more one for the purists. With no knowledge of boxing they merely put it down to froch being pants due to the ugliness of the fight rather than wards brilliance. Now I can't convince them to watch froch again. As we all know they are missing out on some great fights, love him or hate him.

Boxing brings out the best in you, thats why I love it! Still can't get my footy loving mates into it though, despite lecturing them on the likes of corralles-castillo! Mind that left hook...

I love the sport but tend to get very angry with it in the same sentance.

Cunningham handly beat Adamek over the weekend by at least 4 rounds, yet he was on the end of a wrong decision.

It is a joke at times, but thansfully, fights like Marquez vs Pacquiao 4 this year along with the likes of Castillo vs Corrales back in the day make the goosebumps take note and make me realise how great it CAN be.

Show them science of boxing videos - they'll see what you mean. Or a top level brawler with fantastic footwork and defense. (Duran - If you haven't got it by now!) Exhilirating. By the way has anyone got Duran Pazienza 1?