Panamanian Boxer No Mas

What it is to be No. 1

My daughter, Shannon, 22 on 29 August, never lets me forget it: “Father” she says authoritatively, “Whatever happens to you, don’t you ever forget this, I am always your only girl, No 1!” That old saying suggests that, “fruits do not fall far from the tree.” Very aggressive and impatient, she is also correct. In whatever sphere of life, might it be sport or industry, there really is only one No 1! Being No 1 in anything is not that difficult, not when compared to remaining there, even for a short time.   Former West Indies captains Clive Lloyd and Brian Lara had said it many times in their careers: “Climbing that hill to be No. 1 is the easy part. Remaining as No. 1 takes so much more effort!” Yup! Worryingly though, ICC’s “All Time Team” did not even include (Sir) Garfield Sobers, thought to be, at least, the best all-rounder ever, not to mention that many think that he is the best batsman too,  at No 1! That Darren Sammy has been continued as West Indies captain is good, sensible news. No, he is not the best bowler in West Indies, nor is he the best batsman either. Indeed, he is not close to being best all-rounder in the Caribbean, but, he deserves to have that moniker, as he is team captain, El Numero Uno!

With that effort against India earlier this year, one that had only one negative spot—West Indies did not, as should have happened, beat India—Sammy was the obvious on-going choice. It is an interesting exercise to understand and appreciate that there are not many contenders for that position anyway! When boxing was really boxing, there was only one No 1—champion— in each weight group too. That is why I had loved that sport so much then.  No one else makes a boxer No 1. Only he does. He is the one who has to go out, and, for 15 rounds, in the olden days, or 12, nowadays, decimate all opponents. These days, boxing is a big waste, so watered down that no one even knows who is fighting whom anymore. I clearly remember boxing titans clashing; Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier,  thrice, and especially the first Roberto Duran vs Sugar Ray Leonard fight. Every boxer had one objective; to be No 1. So, picture it, West Indies tour of England, 1980. Everyone in the team is overly mesmerised by the slick, stealthy and sweet, Sugar Ray Leonard, thought to be the reincarnation of the original Sugar Ray – Robinson - except me. With the history that I had on Roberto, I knew that he would win that first fight!

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