• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2016 SPORTS Spanish boxing coach, 84, vows to keep going MADRID: At 84, Manolo del Rio is some- Campillo, the 2009 world light heavy- idols perform. ... They can see old and thing of a legend in Spanish boxing, hav- weight and European Union super mid- modern fights, study them, learn and ing spent more than 65 years training dleweight champion. Del Rio is surpris- copy techniques,” he says. “In the old some of the country’s best fighters and ingly agile and swift with both his feet days, we sometimes only saw how our still pledging to keep on until he drops. and fists as he teaches pupils that could opponent was when we got inside the Del Rio spends 12-14 hours a day in the be his grandchildren, or great grandchil- ring.” A one-time amateur boxer himself, gym in Madrid’s working class Vallecas dren. He laments the wane in popularity he gave up competing after he had to neighborhood. At weekends, he accom- of boxing in Spain and attributes it to the face his brother in a regional tourna- panies boxers to their fights. He got a unchallengeable attraction of soccer and ment, choosing to become his coach warning note to slow down last week the fact that boxing has almost vanished instead. These days, he believes tech- when he was admitted to a Madrid hos- from the mainstream media. “Nowadays nique more than punch strength is para- pital suffering from exhaustion. His past in Spain there are no boxing idols who mount. “Although boxing is a violent pupils include Pedro Carrasco, European are able to move crowds,” he says. “There sport it is also an art in itself,” he says. champion in 1967 and world lightweight are more distractions for young people “You have to learn how to move. ... A champion in 1971, and Jose Manuel nowadays.” clever movement can avert you being Urtain, European heavyweight champi- But del Rio admits modern technolo- punched, so you can strike and move MADRID: Boxing coach Manolo del Rio talks to his young pupil Mario Andres on in 1970 and 1971. gy has helped boxing too. “Every boxer away without being hurt. This is tech- Ciobanu, 8, during a training session at El Rayo boxing gym in Madrid, Spain. — AP Most recently, he trained Gabriel can watch on the internet how their nique!”—AP Fiction becomes a reality for ‘real-life Rocky’ Bellew LONDON: Observers of British boxer Tony with a brutal flurry of punches in round Bellew’s WBC world cruiserweight triumph three. Congolese fighter Makabu, 28, had over Ilunga Makabu last weekend could not been beaten since his professional have been forgiven for getting a nagging debut in June 2008 and was the pre-fight sense of deja vu. The 33-year-old favorite with British bookmakers. Liverpudlian survived an early knock-down to win via third-round knockout at Haye in crosshairs Goodison Park, the home of his beloved In beating Makabu, Bellew emulated fel- home-town football team, Everton. Last low professional boxers Antonio Tarver and year’s Hollywood film ‘Creed’ culminated in the late Tommy Morrison, both of whom a fight scene starring Bellew set at the very appeared in ‘Rocky’ films and claimed world same stadium, so victory over Makabu saw titles during their careers. Bellew, who film fiction become sporting reality. “If shared a post-fight embrace with Everton someone wrote my story and my life, the chairman Bill Kenwright, had overcome director would probably say, ‘Take it away, damaged hands and a fractured rib in a it’s nonsense, it couldn’t happen,’” Bellew training camp that he described as “the told Sky Sports. “But it has happened and worst camp I’ve ever had”. It was a case of this is far beyond movies. The movie, third time lucky for the cocksure Scouser ‘Creed’, was amazing, but this far exceeds (the name given to Liverpool residents), my wildest dreams.” who had lost two world title fights at light In ‘Creed’, the seventh film in the ‘Rocky’ heavyweight before dropping down to franchise, Bellew plays ‘Pretty’ Ricky Conlan, cruiserweight in 2014. He now intends to a tough-talking light heavyweight who unify the cruiserweight division, which faces off against Adonis Creed in the would emulate a feat previously achieved movie’s climactic scene. He had been by fellow Briton David Haye in 2008. Haye, plucked from relative obscurity to appear 35, is now fighting at heavyweight, having in the film by 69-year-old Sylvester returned to action sporting a bulkier Stallone, the franchise’s father and original physique this year following a hiatus of star. Crowd scenes were filmed at half-time nearly four years. of a Premier League match between Citing the similarities in height between INNSBRUCK: Germany’s prosthetic-legged long jumper Markus Rehm competes during the Golden Roof Challenge. —AFP Everton and West Bromwich Albion in the pair, Bellew has also set his sights on January 2015, with the fight action fighting the outspoken Haye. “You’ve gone between Bellew and lead actor Michael B long enough fighting those clowns,” Bellew Paralympic jumper Rehm maintains Jordan digitally super-imposed in the edit said, referring to Haye’s comfortable come- suite. Stallone, whose reprisal of his role as back wins over unheralded fighters Mark Rocky Balboa in ‘Creed’ earned him an de Mori and Arnold Gjergjaj. “Come and Olympics hopes despite questions Oscar nomination, had previously attended fight me and I’ll smash through you.” Haye a game between Everton and Reading in met Bellew’s challenge on the front foot, COLOGNE: Paralympic long jump champion through the prosthesis, and I think that for me is competition class at 8.40 meters. Rehm also won 2007. In the film’s finale, Bellew’s character telling him in an Instagram video message: Markus Rehm is still hoping to compete at the a good result,” said Rehm, who is hoping to com- the German national title in 2014 over non- Conlan is felled by a punch from Creed with “After I’ve knocked out (next opponent) Olympics in Rio de Janeiro despite a scientific pete both at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in amputee athletes, drawing a mixed reaction. seconds remaining in the 12th round, only Shannon Briggs, I’m knocking out all peo- study’s inconclusive findings on whether his car- August and at the following Paralympics. “I want He was then prevented from competing for to scramble to his feet and claim victory by ple talking too much. “So get on the list bon-fiber prosthesis gives him an unfair advan- to bring the Paralympic and Olympic sport clos- the German team at the European split decision. mate. You’re going to get smashed to tage over able-bodied athletes. Wolfgang er together. To give both sides the chance to Championships, with track and field officials say- Bellew found himself on his backside bits.” Whoever Bellew fights next, it seems Potthast of the German Sport University in profit from this.” Rehm is aiming to be the sec- ing the prosthesis could give him an unfair cata- after being caught by a stinging left from certain that the Goodison Park flood- Cologne said Monday that it was “difficult if not ond athlete with a carbon-fiber prosthesis to pult effect. “Since the German championship in Makabu in Sunday’s fight for the vacant lights-if not the Hollywood limelight-will impossible” to determine whether the 27-year- compete at the Olympics and Paralympics after 2014 it has been an ordeal. It’s difficult for me to WBC crown, but recovered to claim victory be waiting.— AFP old Rehm gets an advantage or not. South African runner Oscar Pistorius in 2012. hear these charges (of having an advantage). I The study conducted by the German Sport To become eligible under a new rule intro- don’t want to have any advantage. On the other University along with the University of Colorado duced last year by the IAAF, Rehm has to prove hand, you feel you have to apologize to other and the National Institute of Advanced that his prosthesis gives him no advantage over athletes,” Rehm said. “There were times when I Olympics - Baki takes aim at Industrial Science and Technology in Tokyo athletes with a similar disability or non-amputee asked myself if it was worth it.” Under current found that athletes with a running-specific pros- long jumpers. “I’ve taken the first step with the rules, Rehm is not eligible for the German team. Bangladesh medal drought thesis have an impaired ability in the run up but study, so now I await a step in return from the “There is no finding that has found an advan- a better technique for the long jump, leaving world body,” said Rehm, who lost his lower right tage,” Friedhelm Julius Beucher, president of the DHAKA: An Olympics triumph can make you facilities, including an indoor 50-metre range open the question of whether a prosthesis leg in a wakeboarding accident when he was 14. German National Paralympic Committee, said a hero in any country but legendary status to complement an existing 10-metre range, helps or hinders the athlete. Rehm won the gold medal at 2012 London reacting to the study. “It’s not a question of fair- awaits Abdullah Hel Baki if he can finally rid was holding his shooters back. “The study could not identify any advantage Paralympics and holds the world record in his ness but a case of discrimination.”— AP Bangladesh of an unwanted distinction-the “There’s a lot of things we can improve biggest nation never to win a medal.

Load more

  1

Copy Link