How the Mighty have fallen....English cricket, despite the undoubted talented individuals, are in free fall. Across both white ball forms, the decline coincidentally comes back to Morgans retirement....
Root was superb today - and showed the value of being able to build an innings. 50 overs is a long time to bat. The power players - Brook, Buttler, Salt, Livingstone play a short cameo and get out. It may have a place in T20, but in ODIs, it leaves England falling short. The pace bowlers were expensive in every game - here and in India. They have wicket taking potential, but have had poor economy rates. You need control if you don’t take wickets and England just haven’t had it.
George Foreman has passed away at the age of 76. One of the most iconic boxers of all time. Ragdolled Joe Frazier, who was also an amazing fighter, then made his comeback at nearly 46. I remember watching the Moorer fight thinking that it was just silly. An old, flabby guy following around a much younger, quicker champion for 10 rounds doing nothing. Then Big George caught him and that was that!
Mrs B bought a George Foreman Grill about 20 or so years ago. It remains in the basement, unused and still 'mint in box'. I can't imagine anything that I couldn't cook better in or on something else.
Foreman was known as an immensely hard hitter. Not having seen the full fight, I suspect that Moorer was well ahead on points, had barely broken a sweat, but throughout the fight did not push Foreman close to the stamina limit (where he could no longer raise his hands, as famously in "the rumble in the jungle" ) .
Looked suspect then and looks suspect now. I know Foreman was very powerful but that knockout blow was a light jab.
The left catches Moorer's guard on the way out and leaves him open to a good punch right on the chin. Why would he throw this fight when he'd just picked up two titles by beating Holyfield? Moorer was unbeaten and the unified heavyweight champion. 35-0 at that time.
The heavyweight title can always be decided by one good punch - although it is a rarity these days. Think of Buster Douglas taking down Mike Tyson (a furry of quick punches in that case) - unthinkable, but there was always a chance.
Cheavon Clarke thought he was being a very clever boy walking out to that cringey Arsenal song at our stadium in the undercard for Benn Jr vs Eubank II Spurs fan Viddal Riley beat the absolute **** out of him to win the British cruiserweight title at our stadium, at which point Chas & Dave blared out over our PA system Thought that through, didn't he?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/live/crlk6p94l19t?post=asset:6afe240f-9678-4894-a198-956663c7a1ba#post Eubank v Benn Oooof. The fans are belting out 'Delilah' by Tom Jones between rounds. It sounds beautiful. Can we have all future boxing events at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium please?