Ringside

During the recent Judah vs Mayweather fight the same conversation surfaced that nearly always does during a major boxing match being watched at my house. "You missed your calling, Peggy." Someone chirps. I smile, nod 'yes', and quickly return my attention to the battle playing out before me.

It's true. I should have been a boxing announcer. I have an eagle's eye when it comes to this sport that is as legendary as some of its greatest heroes. Before it happens I see it coming! Before Leonard, Merchant, or the paid boxing pundit of the night can spit it out I'll tell you what's going on with that left jab, the low right hand, the legs turning to jelly, or exactly who is the consummate fighter who is smart enough to be fighting "this" fight because it's the one he's in, while his opponent is sure to go down in the next round because he thinks he's in the ring with the guy he beat three fights ago.

I'm so deep into boxing that there have even been a few 'close encounters of the third kind.' A full minute before Evander leaped into the air as Mike bite off a piece of his ear I'd startled everyone gathered around our TV with a shout of "He bit him! Tyson just bit him!"" To this day, I don't know what made me say that then, but within moments it was to become boxing history. I think I glimpsed Mike sizing up the ear or something -- as I said, I can't say for sure, but that's an example of the uncanny or ultra insightful commentary I'm known to offer.

Actually, I've been waiting for someone to take it upon themselves to contact someone significant in the boxing game and make them aware of my exceptional talents. If you ask me, it is a doggone shame I'm not able to share my brilliance with the rest of the world. But, I've been waiting since Ali and Frazier had that Thriller in Manila, and though I am definitely an optimist, I'm starting to wonder if anyone ever will. But I can't let myself get discouraged, now can I? Maybe one day soon the phone will ring and it will be my agent asking me to check my schedule to see if I can fill in for George Foreman or Jim Brown, or Roy Jones or Emmanuel Stewart for the next big bout! Ya think?