Heavyweight Boxing Reboot

Heavyweight Boxing Reboot

It is historically seen as the pinnacle of world boxing: The Heavyweight Division. Much of its splendour and glamour has been diminished after the tight and mundane grip of the Klitschko era. The unexpected victory of Tyson Fury over Wladimir has changed all this. Suddenly the division looks alive, led by the Brits with a good-talking American world champion in tow. Boxing at the top end just got a Hollywood style reboot.

It’s only right to start the reboot with the creator of its genesis: Tyson Fury. A man that’s easy to point derision at and still – even after his impressive upset – has questionable in-ring ability. He is very much a work in progress. The learning curve he’s set on may appear more like a straight line than a bend in trajectory, but evidence suggesting maturity has found its way into his mind-set was apparent during the second clash with Dereck Chisora.

Memories of being put on the canvas by Steve Cunningham (or giving himself an uppercut in the 2009 clash against Lee Swaby) gave genuine doubts over his ability to concentrate and stick to a game plan for an entire fight. In the November 2014 rematch with fellow Brit Chisora, he not only proved he can apply himself correctly for the entirety of a bout, he also put to bed claims that he was fortunate in the first meeting.

What made the second Chisora victory all the more impressive was how his opponent had come off the back of a credible performance against the older Klitschko, Vitali. In his prime, side-by-side with Wladimir, he was the better of the two brothers and the only man who truly beat him was the great Lennox Lewis.

Observers noted he was a Klitschko in decline but there was no way to quantify the drop-off, until we witnessed Chisora labour for ten rounds against Fury. It either meant Klitschko had been months past his best before date or Fury had come on by leaps and bounds. The truth was somewhere in the middle.

These two bouts (Klitschko/Chisora; Tyson/Chisora) did provide a handy snapshot heading into Fury’s world title bout with Wladimir. It showed us that a Klitschko doesn’t decline slowly, once they hit that wall the towel should be thrown in immediately. Dereck Chisora was the lucky man able to exploit this Achilles heel.

It gave Tyson Fury a tune-up fight against a boxer that had been savvy enough to go the distance with a Klitschko who was no longer at the top of his game. Their November clash was a chance for Fury to leave the theatrics at ringside and stick to a point-by-point plan. Having succeeded, he had a mental blueprint for how to conduct himself when in the ring with Wladimir.

Hindsight, often described as 20/20, in this case is still somewhat blurred. Nothing can be taken away from Fury’s performance against the champion. He went into his backyard and left with all the gold. What isn’t clear is if it was just a bad day at the office for Wladimir, a sign the Klitschko drop-off that afflicted his brother has found him, or if the Klitschkos have been feared for no reason for too long.

The answer to these propositions will only become apparent after their May rematch.

Regardless of the outcome, whether Fury was a one-fight wonder or a genuine world champion, the boxing landscape has now shifted. The Klitschko dominance – even if Wladimir regains the two belts that Fury still holds – is a thing of the past.

There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, Fury’s refusal to fight the IBF’s mandatory challenger meant he relinquished the belt. This was a pathetic piece of politicking from the IBF. It’s common for a big bout to have a rematch clause inserted. To expect Fury to skip this for a fight against Vyacheslav Glazkov is ludicrous.

It could be seen as the IBF’s way to ensure their world heavyweight title is free to circulate away from the Klitschkos once again. They set up a fight between the aforementioned Glazkov (who was the favorite) and Charles Martin. A bizarre knee injury meant the former mandatory challenger had to retire from the bout in round three, handing Martin the title.

This makes the IBF crown the main target for all fighters on the fringes of the world title scene. If those at the top close shop, those in the chase will use the backdoor.

The idea that it could be hard to secure a fight for gold comes from Fury’s recent comments. He said he’d drop the belts before giving David Haye a payday. This isn’t to say he’s running scared; he was willing to fight The Hayemaker twice (detractors say it was opportunistic) and was always overly confident. After reaching the summit he has every right to have unwavering belief now. It’s a matter of principle that makes him deny Haye.

Which brings us to the former two-weight world champion. Just as Fury has every right to feel aggrieved that Haye dropped out of two matches, Haye is justified to have done so. His injuries were clearly legitimate; doctors even advised he should retire. After working hard and undergoing a long rehabilitation, he deserves his place at the table.

Nothing should be read into his recent first round stoppage of Mark de Mori. It had the feel of the Monte Barrett affair, with less danger (and that was relatively danger free). But it was a smart choice. Had Ricky Hatton made a measured return to the ring rather than facing off against Vyacheslav Senchenko, his legacy would read much different now.

Like Hatton in his doomed comeback, Haye showed – in the few punches that were thrown – that the exact timing still needs some calibration. What he also showed, which was something Hatton failed to do, was a killer finish that is as lethal now as it was in his supposed prime.

It naturally leads to the question: Why did he fail against Wladimir when Fury walked it?

Toe injuries aside, it was clear that the night in question was a bad day at the office for David Haye. Only he knows if the occasion got to him or if the long shadow of the Klitschko legacy meant he afforded his opponent too much respect. Also, he faced a Wladimir still at something like his best, the jury’s still out on whether or not Fury did.

The other man holding gold – WBC World Heavyweight Champion, Deontay Wilder – is another unknown quantity in the grand scheme of things. Flashes of brilliance have failed to hide a flawed boxer. The irony is, this new phase of the heavyweight which is bringing much needed excitement, is centered around two champions that are perceived to be lacking boxing attributes.

A potential Fury/Wilder meeting is a script that writes itself, in spite of their individual in-ring failings. Both are prone to get caught; the advantage Wilder holds is how he has demonstrated his knock-out power. After his latest defense to Artur Szpilka, where he was far from convincing but gave a KO so devastating it left the Pole motionless for minutes after the fight, the comic book antics with Fury commenced.

In a scene reminiscent from a Rocky film, Fury stormed the ring, ripped off his jacket and began trash talking. Deontay Wilder signed off with the line: “You can run around like you’re a preacher all you want but when you step in the ring, I promise you, I will baptise you.” Eat your heart out, Clubber Lang.

On the periphery of all these shenanigans is the next great hope: Anthony Joshua. If potential was a tangible commodity, he would need a landmass the size of Texas to hold it all. But mere promise alone doesn’t guarantee success – ask Audley Harrison.

Just as it’s impossible to say now whether or not Wladimir has declined, no one knows for sure if Joshua is the real deal. After examining his fights side-by-side with Lennox Lewis’s early contests, he does appear to have more natural ability. The test will be converting that talent into wins against better opponents. More importantly – credible opponents.

AJ is the promising wonder-kid, the elephant in the room other names tried to forget. Haye was the first player that properly acknowledged his presence and he was right to do so. At this moment in time, while Joshua is undergoing development, the slick Haye could prove too much. Against Whyte we saw how open AJ really is. Haye would expose this and proved against Nikolai Valuev that avoidance is his specialty.

After Haye made his statement about wishing to face Joshua, Fury said something similar. Presumably it helps keep talk of ducking fights at bay. The truth is, he’s involved in a Klitschko rematch, that should he win, leads into a showdown with Wilder.

If AJ has the talent, then the IBF world title eliminator that’s he’s expected to be involved in against Carlos Takam will be the big reveal. If he comes through that unscathed then championship gold will be within sight. Perversely his rivals must be secretly hoping he’s on a collision course with someone like Haye before he faces Charles Martin and relives the paper champ of his title.

Whatever happens in the next eighteen months, one thing’s for sure: heavyweight boxing just got unpredictable and entertaining once again, and whoever is champion a few years from now will have no doubts surrounding their legitimacy.

Adidas: The Brand with the two sides

Adidas: The Brand with the two sides

The BBC have reported that sports manufacturer Adidas are to end their commercial agreement with the world governing body of athletics, the IAAF. It appears that the recent doping scandals, highlighted best by the allegations of Russian state sponsored cheating, has brought them to the decision. It seems strange they have found moral ground after refusing to condemn FIFA and Sepp Blatter amidst corruption charges.

In big business making public displays like this from large corporations is more about image than moral fibre. People sat in an Adidas boardroom will have decreed that being associated with drug cheats is detrimental to the sporting brand.

This sounds fair enough. When a company is paying in excess of $8m a year, they deserve to be linked with an honest product. There’s no doubt the doping claims and lack of trust surrounding athletics is a turnoff for spectators and commercial partners.

But the IAAF have been more than willing to root out the wrongdoers and have welcomed – albeit with red faces – the findings from World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). They reported that corruption was rife within athletics but their condemnation was aimed at former IAAF President Lamine Diack.

However, the report, presented by respected former president of WADA, Dick Pound, concluded with the statement: “There’s an enormous amount of reputational recovery that needs to occur here and I can’t think of anyone better than Lord Coe to lead that.”

Lord Coe

So we have a large sporting institute in turmoil that has taken steps to correct itself by inviting independent bodies to air their secrets in public. Furthermore, they have installed a new president, in the guise of Lord Coe, who has universal backing and is beyond reproach.

But Adidas want to jump ship.

This is the same Adidas that refused to criticise Sepp Blatter when he was coming under increasing scrutiny towards the end of his FIFA reign. The same Adidas that has been the longest serving sponsor of football’s governing body but didn’t flinch when FBI investigators started to detail a web of corruption far more widespread and complex than the one affecting the IAAF.

The same Adidas that seems to have put money before morals.

Leaving the IAAF now isn’t making a statement against drug cheats in sport; it’s taking money away from an organisation trying its best to fight corruption.

The IAAF want to clean up athletics and isn’t running for cover or acting self-servingly like Blatter and Platini did. They shouldn’t be punished for the actions of some within the sports they represent. If a footballer takes drugs he is accountable for his actions, the authorities he plays under should punish him. Adidas should punish the athletes and nations that sought to gain an advantage, not an IAAF trying to reform.

To put it into context, Coca-Cola, Visa, McDonald’s and Budweiser all made statements in October 2015 stating that Blatter’s continued presence at FIFA was holding back reform. However, at the same time Adidas stood by the now disgraced president.

There’s too much to be gained financially by staying in bed with FIFA.

Adidas weren’t interested in making an ethical choice when the FIFA scandal came to light, don’t be fooled into thinking they care about sporting interests now. To this day, FIFA are still resistant to impartial third parties assisting in reshaping the organisation to help wipe-out corruption. There’s no WADA-type invite being issued by them.

The IAAF will survive and under Lord Coe will overcome the many difficulties facing athletics. When they do triumph they’ll be better off without hypocrites like Adidas in their party.

The Force is Strong in this One

The Force is Strong in this One
Note: While care has been taken to not divulge the entirety of the plot or giveaway exciting twists and reveals, as always in The Kinswah Reflective, the regular tone applies which includes examining certain aspects of the movie. If you haven’t seen The Force Awakens yet, then it’s recommended you skip this review for now.
Finally, the anticipation is over and the most hyped film ever has been released. Under the weight of its own expectation there was a danger Star Wars: The Force Awakens would end up being a crushing disappointment. Fans of the Star Wars saga had been there before after the release of George Lucas’s prequel trilogy. Thankfully J.J. Abrams has alleviated those fears and surpassed the hopes laid down by a new generation.
From the opening scene, it’s clear Abrams is aware of the universe he’s helping resurrect. It was a franchise he grew up with and hasn’t set out to reinvent the wheel, like George Lucas did with the prequels, instead his job has been getting the old familiar to spin once again. With the use of goggles to scan the distance, using the same graphic from Empire Strikes Back‘s ice planet of Hoth scene, a sense of reassurance settles in.
The nods to the past merely tease nostalgia, as opposed to making a vulgar grab for it. After a few more scenes it is clear we are in an authentic Star Wars universe. The prequels felt disconnected, both visually and from a storyboard point of view, from the original films. Here J.J. manages to immerse the viewer back into the world first seen in A New Hope.
This is no doubt helped by the use of actual sets, allowing for the imperfections and grime of a real world. Just like the original 1977 movie, the characters are easy to connect with too. Daisy Ridley’s Rey, plays the role of lonely scavenger on a dusty planet. She soon gets a droid that’s on a secret mission. Sound familiar? It should and it doesn’t matter. This formula works in Star Wars for a reason.
Rey is soon teamed up with Stormtrooper defector Finn, played by John Boyega. Unlike Luke from the original movie, Rey is already driven and headstrong, so Finn doesn’t need to play the role of Han Solo or Obi Wan. He provides the everyman role we can all relate to. He wants to do good but is aware of the dangers.
Plus, we get given Han – and Chewbacca – so it allows Boyega to provide comic relief. The laughs are littered throughout the story without ever being cheesy. J.J. has managed to balance drama and fun perfectly.
It’s not just the very first film that sets the ambiance for all that follows. Acknowledgements and inclusions referring to The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi are placed throughout the movie. Each one accentuates the feel of connection rather than labours it. The Force Awakens isn’t a spectacle that requires a prop-up from the past, it just absorbs those used because they fit the scenario so freely.
Unlike J.J.’s interpretation of Star Trek which also required him to juggle history and move the brand forward, he doesn’t recolour the old palette. Star Trek needed an overhaul, Star Wars just needed to be put back on its original footing.
The main focus of the saga, the drive from prequels until Darth Vader’s redemption, is the balance between the light and the dark side. Adam Driver is the actor asked to carry that load this time around. He plays the villainous Kylo Ren. As a nod to Darth Vader, Kylo Ren has chosen to wear a dark mask and matching attire. He’s aware of Vader’s history and feels obliged to continue his goals. If you’re reading this after the warning note at the top, then you can’t blame me for mentioning, this sense of duty comes from a family connection.
It isn’t a burden he bears lightly. Driver excellently displays anger, inner struggle, fear and retribution. Mid-film he unmasks; this could have killed the mystic the imposing figure had created. But it was a genius move. It allowed Driver to fully express all his uncertainties, sadness and rage. Having all the contradictions works for the subject matter.
J.J. has managed in one film to show the descent to the dark side more effectively than George Lucas did with his entire prequel trilogy. For everything that was contrived and poorly acted in in those films, there is an organically produced alternative in The Force Awakens performed by actors excelling in emotional roles usually reserved for the theatre.
The greatest testament to the payoff in all this is how Kylo Ren, for all the vulnerability he shows, is hated by the end of the story. There’s no creation of the cool anti-hero here. He’s a bad guy you want to see lose, making Rey’s character easier to get behind.
Running alongside the force is the story of political power. It has always been present in the Star Warsuniverse. The original trilogy simply had an overbearing empire fighting the voices of freedom. The prequels described a more complex system that amounted to the same thing. Here the remnants of the former empire have become the First Order. They take their cue from Nazi Germany, in both styling and use of military might.
It’s easy to see the force used directly, like with Kylo, but Leia has been a political player from day one. Perhaps her use of the force enabled her to be a key royal figure and helps her thrive in her latest incarnation as a general.
It’s the absence of her brother, Luke, that caused a pre-release debate. And he proves to be the contradiction to the former statement about seeing the use of the force directly. Without much screen time, his existence and lack of appearance, helps drive a key plot point. He proves that less is more.
To find faults with the film would be nit-picking. It may mirror some of the original trilogy in terms of storytelling too closely for some but it updates it in a way everything feels fresh rather than redone.
For this writer The Empire Strike Back is the Star Wars benchmark and it’s with a small degree of hesitancy it can be confirmed that The Force Awakens surpasses it.
With the new cast, set in motion by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars has finally found a new hope.