One Ali-Shavers memory: My neighbor's back yard had a tetherball set and we kids spent time playing it during the fight's buildup. I was 12. The tales about Shavers' prodigious power in the right made such an imprint that I imagined hitting that ball with my right fist like him.

I recall one of the main selling points was the power of Shavers' right vs. Ali's legendary chin. Another was whether Shavers had the gas to go 15 rounds, a story line that Shavers fell into so hard that he hesitated when he shook Ali in round 2. That hesitation cost him dearly.

Indeed. We live in a reality show world, and a big part of that world is storytelling. I can't tell you how many times I've "hyped" certain fights by dropping factoids and saw the interest registering on their faces. Dad taught me that word of mouth is the best advertising.

True. But if you're part of a watch party, wouldn't it be great if the knowledgeable ones tell them WHY these fights are worth watching? Why is Mbilli-Martinez a potential war? Who are Walsh and Vargas and why is Alakel included? If told right, their curiosity will be piqued.

RT @LOYDSports: Boxing promoters you should be ashamed of how we got here. 🥊 First, I blame the American organizers, then the fighters, and….

RT @LeeGrovesBoxing: @SmittyBoxing and @bontempomedia had the pleasure of working ringside with Hall of Famer Col. Bob Sheridan, and here,….

RT @LeeGrovesBoxing: @bontempomedia has an endless supply of travel stories, and in this clip from today's "ITC" premiere (noon ET), he tel….

On this week's "ITC," veteran writer/broadcaster @bontempomedia tells @SmittyBoxing and me about his analytical mind, a trait that even includes his detailed recap of a childhood Monopoly game. The show premieres at noon ET tomorrow here:

For years I'd have said no because Rose committed what baseball had said was the biggest sin. Rose knew it, did it anyway, and did so when baseball held the moral high ground. Now? It's yes because of baseball's gaming site deals. No more high ground, which leaves Rose's numbers.

RT @BuffaloBills: Happy 100th birthday, Marv Levy!! 🥳. #GoBills | #BillsMafia

It might've been the popular decision to let the bout continue, but when a boxer tells the doctor the wrong number multiple times during a vision test, then it's the doctor's duty to stop the match. Boxing often touts its attention to ring safety, and this scene contradicts it.

OK, it's a horrible loss. The result is painful. But it was historic. Things happened that hadn't occurred in decades and, in some cases, more than a century. Thus, it's a keeper. I edited out the ads, burned it onto DVDs, then converted it to MP4. I just won't watch the end. :-).

OTD in 1980: Three longtime WBA champs are dethroned: Pryor over Cervantes on CBS, Uehara over Serrano and Hearns over Cuevas on PPV. The common link: Ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Sr., who worked the Pryor-Cervantes show in Cincinnati, then flew to Detroit to do the other show.

And despite all this history, the @Pirates just got walked off 17-16 as the Rockies scored five in the bottom of the ninth. No lead is ever safe at Coors. And in a season filled with heartbreaking losses, this one may be the worst. Wow.

RT @OptaSTATS: The @Pirates are the second team in MLB history to have a first inning with:. 9+ runs.10+ hits.a grand slam (Cruz).a 3-run H….

This morning I achieved my main long-term goal since starting my treadmill program in November 2021: A one-hour session. I probably was in good enough shape to do this much earlier, but I enjoy the journey of building up to something as much as standing at the summit. Onward!

As a longtime @Pirates fan, the good news is the team has won 8 of their last 9. The bad news is that they've traded Gold Glove winner Ke'Bryan Hayes and reliever David Bednar for players that likely won't see the majors for a while. Small-market teams must play a different game.

This has been decades in the making. @SmittyBoxing said one cause is the lack of firms willing to back boxing, which is one big reason why it left free TV. The Park Si Hun-Roy Jones theft might've been a catalyst, for after that, boxing was dropped from NBC's main Olympic sked.

In this clip from today's "ITC," which premieres at noon today here (, @SmittyBoxing and I detail some factors that led to boxing's current state in terms of mainstream relevance. The common ties: Economics, greed and a generational changing of the guard:

In the wake of Usyk's rematch triumph over Dubois, @SmittyBoxing praises the versatility of the champ's lead hand and also declares him one of the most brilliant technical fighters he has ever seen. This clip from today's "ITC" premiere at noon ET explains why: