… and then there’s Kostya

We’ve had the best and worst of sport this week; and both extremes have come out of a sport I hate: Boxing.
I don’t think I need to add any more petrol to the blaze Anthony Mundine lit at his own feet by commenting on the September 11 tragedies on The Today Show. Poor him. Quoted out of context, he says. Asked to comment on Australia sending troops that day (he’s a muslim), he said
“I really feel that it’s not our problem. They call it an act of terrorism but if you understand the religion and our way of life it’s not about terrorism, it’s about fighting for God’s laws and America’s brought it upon themselves (for) what they’ve done in history and so on.”
Yeah. I can see how the media have twisted his words.
Some lessons: a nice wrapup of other athletes who’ve burned their own toes. This article from The Age expresses everything I think much better than I’m able.
Then, you have fellow boxer Kostya Tszyu refusing to buy into the whole hype cycle around boxing for the sake of his own kids.
“I don’t hate Zab (his opponent). Why should I say I don’t like him if I do like him? To make sales go higher? I don’t care about this. We are two sportsmen, we are two human beings, we have life after this. How can I teach my kids to respect others?”
Great to see a sportsman with perspective and integrity.
Now, whose head would you rather punch in?