Fight or fiasco

I fondly remember listening, with fixed attention and great excitement, to the heavy weight boxing championship fights of yesteryear, my only source being radio at the time. Such characters as Floyd Paterson, Archie Moore, Jersey Joe Walcott, among many, spring to mind.

Much later, in the 1960s and 1970s, my boxing appetite was amply satisfied by those classical "Ali fights" which still give joy to all who can watch them on video.

Since then, the heavyweight division seems to have slipped sadly downhill as an even spectacle, and surely must have culminated with the so-called fight between McNeeley and Mike Tyson aired on SCTV on Aug. 20, 1995.

Tyson is still highly regarded and respected by most as an exceptionally strong, athletic and mean character with a vicious desire to win. Unfortunately he is controlled by an army of money-making moguls who obviously don't really care about fair, even contests; hence the farce on Sunday.

How long will it be before a younger, stronger fighter emerges at this level and establishes a fair two-sided contest? Maybe that's what we are all waiting for. Meanwhile we have to suffer these one-sided, no contest affairs, with the inevitable huge pay-out at the end.

I personally was sick of (almost!) watching this "fight" and am not so bothered about seeing another until a suitable opponent turns up, if ever! I know this though: This present boxing era will never live in my mind like the golden days aforementioned -- only leave a bitter taste in the mouth.

JOHN R. KERR

Jakarta