Good luck to him but I thought I clearly won the fight It would be absurd, for instance, if the West Indies cricket authorities decided to cancel England's upcoming tour because they disagreed with Tony Blair's proposal for university top-up fees, but don't put it beyond some sporting bodies to rise high above their station in life.The same goes for politicians, and the Olympic movement did well to survive the Cold War boycotts that affected the Moscow and Los Angeles Games in the 1980s. There's nothing new in that, nor in the danger that it can be taken too far. The shameful and reluctantly offered "Heil Hitler" salutes represented a diplomatic capitulation at a time when the starting gun for the Second World War was on a hair trigger. Despite the horrors of Zimbabwe, that's not the sort of dilemma under discussion this weekend.The principle, however, is basically the same, and it is inevitable that sport's relationship with the outside world will encounter conflicts of interest. Good luck to him but I thought I clearly won the fight.''It was Sprott's 25th win in a career that has also shown seven losses A little lucky maybe, but his persistence has paid off.. He made Sprott the winner by 115-114 - six rounds to five with one even - whereas most observers at ringside, including this correspondent, made Williams the winner by some two rounds.None the less, the former champion had only himself to blame for fighting the oddest of contests relying solely on his jab, rarely throwing a body shot and frequently resorting to curiously passive tactics, glancing at his gloves, muttering to himself and beckoning towards Sprott. This pawing and posing obviously cut no ice with Parris and there were surprisingly few in the crowd, which seemed largely composed of Sprott supporters, who protested at the outcome.The 30-year-old Williams was defending his British title for the fifth time and the Commonwealth crown for the eighth time, and we had been told to expect a reinvigorated fighter. But the new Williams was hardly an improvement on the old and twice, once in the seventh and again in the eighth, he was wobbled by Sprott's assaults.Even though there seemed to be more snap and accuracy in Williams' jab his armoury remained unconvincing, as, indeed, was the entire calibre of the contest. He wrested the titles in a remarkable upset here last night by defeating the holder, Danny Williams of Brixton, over 12 rounds. For the shaven-haired Sprott it was a distinct case of third-time lucky. Beaten twice before inside the distance by Williams, he was awarded a surprising verdict by a single point on the scorecard of the referee Dave Parris. Yet we spotted a number of sports agents in the throng as well as several politicians whose only sporting interest is the bandwagon jump.insidelines independent.co.ukExit LinesI would not say there is a possibility of him not fighting again. Manager Riath Hamed is as evasive about the future of brother Naseem as the Prince used to be in the ring...
I would like to say that the situation is better than when I started, but sadly I can't. Regrets from Elsa Davies, retiring after 12 years as director of the National Playing Fields Association. There isn't anyone I'd particularly like to sit and eat with. Kenny Dalglish when asked which celebrity he'd invite to dinner.. A 29-year-old man from Reading with the unlikely name of Michael Sprott is the new British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion. An oversight, as the CCPR were later told, or a snub? "Space was very tight and we were not able to invite everyone we wanted to," says a London 2012 spokesperson. They could do worse than invite Britain's premier promoter inside their tent. Moreover, as a lifelong Labour supporter, Warren would fit into Sport England's cosy relationship with the Westminster Establishment. Even their switchboard now offers the message: "Thank you for calling HM Government."Why were the CCPR, who represent more than 200 UK sports governing bodies, not invited to the launch of London's Olympics bid?Considering that the affair was awash with bigwigs from Sport England, UK Sport and the British Olympic Association, it seems curious that there was no place in the Royal Opera House stalls for either the CCPR chairman Howard Wells, or chief executive Margaret Talbot. It will be Britain's first 24-hour terrestrial sports channel, available on free-to-air coverage as well as to satellite viewers in some two million homes. Freesport's launch director, Simon Bazalgette, says: "Our team is in place and we will target news, views and personalities from grass roots sports and those which do not get regular exposure."A fascinating piece of matchmaking is due to take place over breakfast in a London eaterie soon when the boxing promoter Frank Warren gives Sport England's chief executive Roger Draper a bit of an ear-bashing.For his part Draper promises some counter-punching in response to Warren's recent caustic observations about Sport England's competence and their less than generous disposition of Lottery funds to sports like amateur boxing. |
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