A great deal has been written about boxing over the years; there is a certain congruence between the writer's craft and the boxer’s: long bouts of preparation largely isolated from the rest of the world leading to an almost naked exhibition of one’s skills (or lack thereof) before the world at large (or small). And these similarities have been noted by many great writers, bringing many of them into the fold of sweet science writing over the years– Hemmingway, Mailer, and Joyce Carol Oates just to name a few.

The difference, of course, is that writers are seldom punched in the head in their line of work– though as intimate as the process of writing can be, criticism can often feel that way. Another difference worth noting is that boxers almost never compare themselves to writers. Be that as it may, for reason of an abiding love of both arts, today I throw my pen into the ring.