Twenty Five Years

A few days ago, my son Daniel asked me, “Can I buy a programme for £25 that I would like to watch on Saturday 18th on the telly, When I get paid, I will give you the money back,” I replied, “OK, no problem.” Daniel added, “It is to watch the boxing,” he told me their names, the one I had heard of, and didn’t like and the other I had not heard of.

It turned out, that it was a big match for many reasons. Whoever won this match would have all the belts, and the last time that happened was twenty-five years ago!

The run-up to the match, the two men would have met and eyed each other up, the one I didn’t like, his DAD had headbutted for no reason, a man on the other side! He should have been arrested and charged with assault! That was disgraceful if another man had done that on the street, that is exactly what would have happened to him. The other team, most of them, didn’t speak English, did not retaliate, they would have every right to, but they didn’t.

The big fight was held in Saudi Arabia, and from early on, lots of boxing matches were played live onto our living room as we sat and watched. The matches were short, they should have been ten rounds but soon as the matches started, there would be a knock-out!

Big names arrived from all over the world, it was lovely to see, how sport had brought them all together, as one. It was a lovely build up to 11pm, when the main fight was due.

Both men due to fight, whoever won would be undisputed, and would then hold the converted title, of Champion, of the boxing world!

I said to Daniel, “Who do you want to win?” He replied, “They are both VERY good, I don’t mind.” I knew who I wanted to lose.

Both men claimed to be very religious, but the one I knew, had the foulest of mouth! Because he had the foulest of mouth, he to me, contradicted himself! If I walked around like that, and swore that badly every day, no one I knew or didn’t know would think much of me, nor what I believe and stood for. So, whoever his opponent was, I wanted that man to win! He was too big headed and cocky for my liking! Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against swearing! I work with people who swear, a lot! It doesn’t bother me; they don’t claim to be Born Again Christians. This boxer does!!!

Before the match, throughout the day, stories of both men, interviews, of them and their lives would be played. The unknown man to me, he in his language, spoke about his life, in the army, the war, and his dad not living to see him win his first big match. The thought of that, made him cry on camera. He didn’t want to cry, he said, “Men don’t cry.” That touched everyone, we could feel his pain. We all want our nearest and dearest to share in our successes, and if they have gone on before us, then that hurts.

In the stand-off days before the big match, the cocky one stood next to his opponent, instead of the usual face to face, he stood next to him, looking at the cameras, as the shorter man looked at the side of his face. Daniel if he had to pick a winner, for him, it would be the cocky one, he loves him, and thinks he is, “The best.”

Before the main match started, Daniel had gone to the local shop to get himself various cans and bottles of beer. He did have the opportunity to go to his drinking buddies house, but he knew, he would have been too drunk to watch the match by the time it was 11pm. He said, to me, “I’ve paid for it, I want to stay in and watch it.”

My daughter Meghan and her friend had placed various small bets on their mobiles, for the cocky one, for a win in the second round, or a draw etc.

We all said at different times, “I hope the match does not end in the first round.”

The match started, it was nice for once, to watch it live and not wait for the result at the end, via my mobile phone. Somehow, it is not the same, you don’t get the atmosphere and the excitement of the match. It was exciting. All four of us, as a family watched it, this was now a rare occurrence, as I work shifts, and my kids work, different times to me and to each other. Here we were all together, enjoying the match.

Would there be a knock out in the first round? Thankfully there wasn’t.

Not sure which round it was, I think it was round nine, the cocky one, was staggering all over the place, bouncing from one rope to another, it stopped him from crashing to the canvas! He was lucky, he was saved by the bell!! If there were another minute in that round, it would have been all over for him. I learnt something yesterday, having grown up watching boxing with my family as a child and teen, that ten seconds before the end of the round, there is a noise to tell the boxers that they have ten seconds before the bell goes! WOW, you can always learn something new, every day.

When the cocky one was staggering around, the ring, my kids stood up, Meghan shouted, “NO!” She was thinking no doubt about her bets and Daniel was probably thinking, he didn’t want to see the great man go down! I was thinking, he needs to be taken down a peg or two. Paul also wanted him to lose.  

Because he was saved by the bell, he survived, but really it did seem unfair, as “The referee, had given him twenty seconds to recover,” said, by David Haye, by counting slowly to ten.

Both men went to the thirteenth and final round.

No one knew who won, Daniel said, “If he (The cocky one) has won, I will never watch another boxing match again!”

The winner was announced and Oleksandr Usyk was declared the Winner. I was SO happy I clapped him, with relief.

The reporter then asked the loser for his thoughts and he said, “I WON!” What?? So, all the Judges were wrong? Such an odd thing to say, with all the millions around the world watching. Poor loser.

After the pile of negativity that came from his mouth, the reporter then went back to the Champion and said through an Interpreter, “What do you want to do now?” I love his reply he said, “I want to go to my room, I want rest, I want to pray, I want to eat, I want to sleep, I want to kiss my wife.” In beautiful English. The Reporter said, “Oleksandr the whole world has respected everything you have been about, welcome to utopia, my friend!”

What a beautiful end to a beautiful Match.

Congratulations Oleksandr Usyk.