IBR on The Cruelest Sport

In his essay “The Tyranny of Visions,” Thomas Sowell writes that visions are inescapable because of the limits of knowledge (one might argue this limitation holds their appeal as well). The crucial question for Sowell is “whether visions provide a basis for theories to be tested or for dogmas to be proclaimed and imposed.” With Mayweather, the vision has grown as the tests have receded. This is not entirely his fault of course, as he has run through the gamut of realistic challenges and is facing arguably his toughest available test next (barring some overweening request that he face a middleweight). But there are glaring omissions in Mayweather’s impressive record—like Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito—and asterisks abound: neither Shane Mosley nor Miguel Cotto were in their primes when Mayweather agreed to face them. And saying that Mayweather would have beaten these men at their best is not much of a rebuttal—such conjecture only reiterates the vision. The point is that the opportunity to test the vision of Floyd Mayweather, Jr., has largely passed, leaving us with the proclamation of dogma.

Read Vision Thing: On Floyd Mayweather Jr on The Cruelest Sport.

IBR on The Cruelest Sport

Leading into their rematch at the O2 Arena in London, England, Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler appeared to be fighters on different trajectories. Since their first fight in 2010—which ended in a close unanimous decision for Kessler—Froch has continued to face the best opposition available. A loss to eventual Super Six Tournament winner Andre Ward was mitigated some by defeating Arthur Abraham, outworking Glenn Johnson in the rugged Jamaican’s last quality performance, and savaging Lucien Bute in five lopsided rounds. With his flattened nose, insolent sneer, and belligerent casualness, Froch is proof that a loss is not the death-knell of a career. Froch overcame defeats by refusing to deviate from the same gauntlet that caused him to stumble. Kessler, on the other hand, spent nearly fourteen months out of the ring after beating Froch, recovering from an eye injury before feasting on three easy marks in re-acclimatizing to combat. Questions abounded regarding Kessler’s durability, his decline, even his zest for fighting when he said he would retire if he lost to Froch “fair and square.” After twelve fervent rounds before a raucous throng of over 18,000 spectators, Kessler indeed fell to Froch by unanimous decision in a performance that should quell the rumors of his demise for the time being.

Read “That Insolent Sneer: Carl Froch W12 Mikkel Kessler” on The Cruelest Sport.

IBR on The Cruelest Sport

“Leading into his fight against Lamont Peterson at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Lucas Matthysse was a fighter whose notoriety exceeded his exploits. That he was a ferocious puncher was undeniable—as was the craft with which he delivered those destructive blows—but a reputation based on victories over the likes of Humberto Soto and Ajose Olusegun seemed unwarranted, if not completely unjustified. Durable and skilled, Peterson was considered the first legitimate threat to Matthysse since his dubious defeat at the hands of Devon Alexander in 2011. In a fight that was never competitive Matthysse destroyed Peterson, whom referee Steve Smoger saved at 2:14 of the third round. It was a chilling performance, one that would surely have reconciled Matthysse’s achievements with his reputation had the latter not already taken on a life of its own.”

Read Machine Head: Lucas Matthysse TKO3 Lamont Peterson on The Cruelest Sport.