UPDATE 2: Grady Brewer is replacing Tyrell Biggs as tonight's guest. Biggs cancelled after the 1984 team celebration event was 86'd when a sponsor pulled out. Why do our Olympic boxers, even the great ones, no longer get respect for their accomplishments?
UPDATE: Tyrell Biggs will be joining us instead of Breland. Biggs is the only American to win a gold medal at Super Heavyweight, beating Lennox Lewis en route to capturing Olympic glory.
Some consider Mark Breland to be the greatest amateur boxer the U.S. ever produced. He took home gold in the 1984 Olympics (although from a watered down field because the Soviets and Cubans weren't there). Breland then went on to win the welterweight title as a pro.
This summer marks the 25th anniversary of the 1984 Olympics that featured Pernell Whitaker, Evander Holyfield, and Tyrell Biggs among others.
Anyone who has followed Through the Ropes knows I'm a big fan of Olympic boxing. So to honor the 1984 team, we will talk with Mark Breland on Thursday night.
Also on the show is Scoop Malinowski, who wrote Heavyweight Armageddon, about the Tyson - Lewis fight. Scoop and I will go toe-to-toe as I disagree with the very premise of his book -- that the fight was a historically important one.
Tyson was washed up and anyone who thought he had any chance other than landing a lucky punch was naive or too much of a Tyson fan to have thought clearly. As a result, Tyson was no longer an important figure.
Tune in Thursday night.
By the way, you can now follow Through the Ropes on Twitter @ttropes.
1 comment:
I honestly believe that Lennox Lewis will be looked upon as time passes as a better allround heavyweight than many realised when he was boxing.. I too was a massive Biggs fan, and blame Tyrell for tuning me into the sport in the early eighties after seeing him beating Damiani in the 84 games. Tyrell was one of the first pioneers of todays Super large heavyweights who were mobile and naturally talented. I do hope you can get him onto a future show. God Bless, Stephen J.
Post a Comment