If this is a geezer at 36, what does it make me at 54?





Old geezer of 36 debut in the ring

UNION-TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICES
June 2, 2004

When heavyweight Joe Riley steps into the ring Friday night in Newburgh, N.Y., he'll be making his pro debut at an age when most prizefighters are contemplating retirement.

"Everybody says, 'You're 36. You're too old.' I don't feel it at all," Riley told The Associated Press. But he acknowledged being a little nervous about boxing in front of a hometown crowd, and then laughed about the pressure.




Classic Quote
"It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up."

–Muhammad Ali


"All my brother keeps telling me is, 'All you have to do is win. You have too many people looking at you,'" said Riley, who works at his brother's furniture store.
Promoters hope the heavyweight who grew up in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and played football at Ulster Community College will help fill the 2,715 seats at Poughkeepsie's Mid-Hudson Civic Center.

Riley was the 1998 New York State Golden Gloves superheavyweight champion and stands to make $700 for his first match. He's scheduled to go four rounds with Anthony Attah a Nigerian who is 1-2-1 in four bouts.

"I look at it like this, nothing to lose and everything to gain," Riley said. "From where I came from to where I'm at now, life doesn't get any better."


Trivia time
Who is the oldest boxer to hold the heavyweight title?


Boxing feats
A few boxing records according to guinnessworldrecords.com:

Highest earner: Oscar de la Hoya had estimated earnings of $43.5 million in 1999, according to the 2000 Forbes Celebrity 100 list.

Longest reign: Joe Louis was champion for 11 years and 252 days, from June 22, 1937, until his retirement in 1949.

Most knockouts: 145 (129 in professional bouts), by Archie Moore.

Youngest heavyweight champion: Mike Tyson was 20 years, 144 days old when he beat Trevor Berbick to win the WBC heavyweight title at Las Vegas on Nov. 22, 1986.


All-Star surprises
Mia Hamm's husband, Nomar Garciaparra, led American League shortstops with 412,742 All-Star votes, reported AP. The Boston Red Sox star has not played a game all season after being sidelined by an Achilles' tendon injury . . . Despite BALCO chants, San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds has the second-highest vote total at any position in either league with 647,183. For a complete list of All-Star voting, see Scoreboard on D8.


Trivia answer
At 45, George Foreman defeated Michael Moorer in 1994 to regain the title.