Back to the Basics

by J.T. Dockery

It's been a while, so let me reacquaint you with my boxing/cigar smoking style. Luckily for me, this Transylvanian abroad, found a couple, Emily Sauter and Ryland Ianelli, who (along with Ryland's roomie, Bryan Stone), had me over at their place here in White River Junction, Vermont to watch the rematch between Bernard Hopkins and Jean Pascal (they had it downloaded and saved).

What a fight to get back in the boxing groove, sports fans. Pascal had somewhat controversially won by decision their first go, and Hopkins, at age 46, was back to prove himself (and take the record away from Foreman for the oldest title winning champ).

Usually when folks ask me who I am pulling for in a boxing match, my response is, "whoever fights the best fight." There is a chink in my scientifically neutral perspective, and that usually comes into play with older fighters. I can't help but feel sentimental if it's a boxer's last shot at glory. I always figure the younger guys can come back from a defeat. There was no way to spectate this fight, for me, without wanting to cheer on Hopkins.

Despite seeming to lag early on, he came back, dominated the fight, and from a panel of judges they seemed to have searched world over for neutrality due to the aforementioned controversy, he took back the title from Pascal. Exciting fight, maybe even in my top ten, at least top twenty, that have happened in my viewing lifetime.

We drank Narragansset lager; it's the "official beer of the clam," dontcha know (learning the ins and outs of regional northeastern beers, stay tuned for more on that later), and smoked Don Tomas cigars. It was a good Sunday.