Monday, May 16, 2011

Vale Lionel Rose

"A horse runs with his lungs, preservers with it's heart and wins with it's character" (Federico Tesio)

Lionel Rose wasn't a horse but he was a champion athlete and just like the champions bred by Federico Tesio he prevailed in and out of the ring against obstacles that others might have balked at. 

Sport is a great leveller. The $1000 gelding can beat the million dollar colt if he is good enough and wants to win badly enough, just as the little black kid from Jackson's Track can become a World Champion if he has the courage and the desire to do so.

I'm not surprised they will pack Festival Hall today to see him off.  It's a fitting measure of the character of Lionel Rose, a great boxer and a wonderful human being.

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