Boxing Clever

My Mother loved Boxing and would often get me up to listen to fights from the USA on the Radio. It was so exciting as we drank tea and hot sausage sandwich. February 1964 Sonny Liston fought the young Cassius Clay in Miami. Clay took the Heavyweight title as Liston’s corner stopped the fight in the 8th Round. Cassius declared himself ‘ the Greatest ‘ and he was.

The 1960s were rich days in the world and though we had Cuban Crisis, Assassinations of Kennedys , Luther King and Cold War the world seemed a simpler place. I guess being 11 years of age it should be.

Tonight I get out of my bed to see the latest fight from America. This time the venue, Salt Lake City , Kamala Harris v Mike Pence.
In the opening rounds Pence looked like the defending champion and contender Harris ran out showing exuberance yet Pence took her jabs and calmly deflected all that she said. Pence was the perfect gentleman as Harris played to the audience trying to appeal to the millions watching.

Harris threw an uppercut telling us that the President was $400m in debt though she never told us the value of his portfolio , was he really $400m down and out. Is the White House his only place to stay for he and his family ?

As the topic of Climate change was thrown into the ring Mike admitted that the climate was ever changing and defended their strategy. Forest fires was a management issue and there are no more hurricanes today than a 100 years ago. Harris came back that Biden’s plan would create 7 million new jobs in the sector. Joe wasn’t going to ban fracking despite what Mike said and reminded us that Joe was going to raise taxes.

Harris declared that Trump had lost the trade war with China ( I don’t think China would agree Kamala ). Pence said that Biden was a cheerleader for Communist China. Pence was controlled and if called upon was President quality. Harris is an unknown and possibly her strategies with Joe feel unknown. Harris could be President with old Joe at the helm and is possibly a contender for the title in the future .

There was no knockout just like the Liston Clay fight 56 years before but the fight had to be stopped Harris with quivering voice was not the one, not her time. Pence kept the belt and returned to his corner unbloodied and still calm.

The main bout is next month and my guess is that Trump will retain the Crown especially with Pence in his corner. America under Joe and Kamala will freak the markets and the Americans would be in a worse place. Not everyone like the current Champion but he is what he is and we know that. The unknown is far too great a risk at a time there are far too many out there.

My mother is long gone but she would have stayed up for this yet she would not recognise the world we are now in and would be afraid of what’s to come. As for the tea and hot sausage sandwich that would have been as good as it was then. Alas tonight only the tea.

What’s happened to the world Mum ?