rootsandculture

Montego Bay (Mobay) twenty years ago and recovering from the rage of hurricane Gilbert seemed strangely more alive than mobay today. Twenty years ago the train still ran from Mobay through the Blue Mountains like links to the necks of captive laborers; both vestiges of colonialism. The new colonialism and dreams of socialism meant the end of the train now replaced by a bus: the air conditioned Knutsford Express. Also available was the leave when we full, not so, express, minibus. The Knutsford Express meant no more random sermons at each stop like the train. No more sales of strange foods, some still alive. Only a ten minute stop in relatively safe Ocho Rios.

Hands off Gayle and Gang Good fighters need good handlers to win championship belts and better handlers to hold on to the belt. In cricket it’s the trophy. In boxing, at a minimum, you need a good straight-right to win a fight. It may even get you a championship belt, but a straight-right is not enough to defend the belt. You need a good left-hook. But even if you have both weapons you still need good handlers to succeed. West Indies (WI) promptly returned the recently won Wisden Trophy to England and mostly as a result of poor handling and perhaps the absence of a straight-right or left hook. A few shorts months ago, in the 2nd innings at Sabina Park, Jamaica, Jerome Taylor was the straight- right for WI. He knocked England out for 51. England went down in the first round. Taylor was not only straight but fast and turned out to be the punch that won the belt. The rest of the fight consisted mostly of good defense with the occasional flurry as WI held on to draw the remaining rounds...

Our team arrived in South Africa in two groups one week before the big fight. The manager and I arrived together and went directly to a reception held to welcome the fighters, raise funds for a local charity and as well as promote the bout between Laila Ali and Gwendolyn O’Neil. There we met the rest of the team: the fighter, Gwendolyn O’Neil, her husband and her trainer. We all held the hope of meeting Nelson Mandela since he was an ex-fighter and a big fan of the game. The fundraiser took the form of an auction. One of the auctioned items was a dress modeled by the opponent, Queen Bee Laila Ali: daughter of the Greatest, Muhammad Ali. She modeled the dress in an actual boxing ring and looked awesome. Damn, I thought, why did they not ask our girl to model an outfit?