Fighting To Win
Pavlik VS. Hopkins
TM
![In the house I grew up, with multiple girls, one can only imagine the number of arguments over clothing that my parents had to settle. I can remember my dad telling us sisters numerous times he was going to hand out boxing gloves and let us “duke it out,”--an expression that dates me for sure because no one uses that phrase anymore.
For the record, although I am the youngest, I am certain that I would have won in every match. (No one borrows my favorite shirt without asking and gets away with it!)
Dad boxed in the navy--and grew up with his family owning a bar which meant they were in their fair share of old school bar room brawls with even my Grandma getting involved using her purse to swat anyone who dared threaten her family over the head--but Dad’s crop of girls were not likely to follow in his fighting footsteps. However, that didn’t stop him from hanging up a bag in the back yard and trying to teach us anyway. I admit I have never entered a ring or taken a kickboxing class, but that early exposure made me a fan of the sport in complete paradox to every other aspect of my non-violent personality.
Along with entire population of Youngstown, I was excited about the match-up between Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik, (the favored undefeated twenty-six year old from Youngstown, Ohio), and Bernard Hopkins, (the forty-three year old reigning champion), last Saturday night.
In true Rock Star Fashion, strep throat took me down Saturday and I was asleep before the first bell rang.
I woke up to find out that the fight was an upset and ended with Hopkins taking the win in a unanimous decision (119-106, 118-108, 117-109), leaving Pavlik to learn a lesson many of us who are emerging in years already know.
Forty year olds still got it.
In an interview with the LA Times writer Lance Pugmire, Bernard claimed he beat Pavlik with skill and technique by doing his homework researching Pavlik’s weaknesses, [http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2008/10/bernard-hopki-1.html], which is a statement that is hard to deny. Bernard told Pugmire, “Pavlik jabs and tries to line you up with his right. I asked myself, 'Why not go to his left and make him punch across chest?' That's awkward to do. That was his problem.’”
A blog post on Pavlik’s official website also acknowledged Bernard’s experience as an attribute. “Hopkins is an enigma because his strategy has evolved with age and has earned him his greatest victories in recent years.” [http://teampavlik.blogspot.com/ October 20, 2008]
Last Saturday night, was more than just a victory for Bernard Hopkins though, it was a victory for everyone over the age of forty. Experience and maturity won the day and we can all learn from Bernard’s performance. Forty marks the beginning of excellence, the culmination of years of hard work and the success only possible once crucial life lessons have been learned.
Through years of fighting, Hopkins knew that if he made Pavlik go to his left—where punches were awkward—he would hold the advantage. Youth is treasured but with age comes enlightenment that is priceless and in this case, victorious.
Au revoir for now...n
2008 Copyright Nicole Hanratty](9CDD06D5-9083-468A-BC72-94E5589A4A1D_files/shapeimage_8.png)
Thursday, October 23, 2008
My Uncle Laddie boxing in the Navy, year unknown
