"The Death of a King"
That's what Larry Merchant called it.
He was right.
Roy Jones Jr. got knocked cold tonight by Glenn Johnson. It was his second knockout loss in a row.
RJ is a fighter who never used a jab and relied on preternatural speed to sling combinations from odd angles and then disappear like vapor when you went looking to counter.
At 35 he doesn't have the speed to get away with it any more.
As a result he is spending the night in a Memphis hospital for observation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RJ, please hang them up. No one who ever saw you fight wants you to lace them up again.
Any of you who know me or read my journals from time to time realize I care about sports.
I know a lot of people think it is petty and pointless, and don't understant why Ali's first fight against Liston is more impressive to me as a work of art than any Matisse.
But suffice it to say that there is an emotional connection between those of us who choose to believe in these men, who ascribe significance to their success and their failures.
To those of us who automatically feel the sadness of winter get broken by John Henry's hammer simply by the words "pitchers and catchers report today," it is a part of our psychic economy and in many ways an important part of the friendships we care about most.
I'm also going to say this. I love and care a great deal about my teams, and their exploits, but man there is no more edgy feeling than really caring about a fighter and watching him going into the ring.
And watching a fighter you love get starched. It's a terrible, terrible feeling.
Be healthy RJ, go home to your farm in Pensacola. You smoked Toney and Hopkins when it mattered and starched Virgil Hill with a body shot. When you were a King neither Tarver or Johnson were fit to carry your spit bucket.
You'll always be the best.
-- A fan
That's what Larry Merchant called it.
He was right.
Roy Jones Jr. got knocked cold tonight by Glenn Johnson. It was his second knockout loss in a row.
RJ is a fighter who never used a jab and relied on preternatural speed to sling combinations from odd angles and then disappear like vapor when you went looking to counter.
At 35 he doesn't have the speed to get away with it any more.
As a result he is spending the night in a Memphis hospital for observation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RJ, please hang them up. No one who ever saw you fight wants you to lace them up again.
Any of you who know me or read my journals from time to time realize I care about sports.
I know a lot of people think it is petty and pointless, and don't understant why Ali's first fight against Liston is more impressive to me as a work of art than any Matisse.
But suffice it to say that there is an emotional connection between those of us who choose to believe in these men, who ascribe significance to their success and their failures.
To those of us who automatically feel the sadness of winter get broken by John Henry's hammer simply by the words "pitchers and catchers report today," it is a part of our psychic economy and in many ways an important part of the friendships we care about most.
I'm also going to say this. I love and care a great deal about my teams, and their exploits, but man there is no more edgy feeling than really caring about a fighter and watching him going into the ring.
And watching a fighter you love get starched. It's a terrible, terrible feeling.
Be healthy RJ, go home to your farm in Pensacola. You smoked Toney and Hopkins when it mattered and starched Virgil Hill with a body shot. When you were a King neither Tarver or Johnson were fit to carry your spit bucket.
You'll always be the best.
-- A fan
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
but you know why Johnson won? it was the white gloves.
I drank enough for a few yesterday.