My sporting weekend
Even by my standards this weekend was charged and full of sport. On Sunday morning I followed the Fury v Wilder fight on the radio. It reminded of my youth listening to the Cassius Clay fights against Sonny Liston with an old fashioned Bush Bakerlite radio by the bed, all snug as the brash pug From Louisville backable at 4-1 announced himself to the world stage.
However after the strange decision which the experts on the radio scored it 115-111 to Fury I was reminded of what for me was the finest boxing achievement post-war by a British fighter, Ken Buchanan beating Ismael Laguna in his native Puerto Rico, though he himself lost to a contested decision to Roberto Durán in Madison Square Garden after a low blow.
Fulham played with spirit after gifting their usual early goal and between the 2oth and 80th minute I thought they might grab a draw.
It was not to be.
I backed the draw in the North London derby but this is a new intense Gunners and in an enthralling game they run out 4-2 winners. I don’t know if they read the Rust but perhaps they were motivated by Stefano’s comments that they are no longer a top table side. After the goalless half-time at Anfield I fancied Everton to complete the draw but sustained my third football loss with a last gasp winner when Jordan Pickford should have held the spinning ball.
Golf-wise my hopes in the Mauritius Open were pinned on Frenchman’s Victor Perez but he did not make a each way place. Mauritius, with its blue Indian ocean and beaches, seems a long way from grey sleeting England.
I promised the missus a winter break if Jeremy Chapman can continue to pick us winners. We might make Butlins after Joe Rahm – as he predicted – won the Hero Championship in Bahamas.
The event is hosted by Tiger Woods who did not feature high on the leaderboard. I have always predicted that Rahm will win a Major sooner rather than later and the same might be said of big-hitting Tony Finau who chased him down. He came up the hard way and his story is inspiring, his humble demeanor appealing.
By contrast Rahm is an explosive character which he needs to control. He played superb golf with big hitting, metronomic pitching and accurate putting. The birdie machine that is Jon Rahm beat a strong but small field comprising Justin Thomas, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Keegan Bradley by 4 strokes.
It might have been Tiger’s event to host but at 43 I can’t see him winning much more than than the odd tourney now and then. There are so many new kids on the block.
