With less than a month to go to the biggest bout in boxing history, some pundits have taken to reflecting on the past when it comes to finding quality opposition for the men of May 2nd. Perhaps it’s just another symptom of a sport in decline, but the fantasy fight is in full swing and scribes have pitted the silky skills of Mayweather against those of the Sugar Ray’s, Sweet Pea Whitaker and the truly brilliant ‘Homicide Hank’ himself Henry Armstrong. Likewise, the question has been asked as to how Manny Pacquiao would have fared against Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez and the sadly late and flamboyantly great Hector Comacho Sr. I tend not to contemplate such match-ups. They’re called fantasy fights for a reason and the best we can do is to remember past fighters with the respect that they deserve. May 2nd will establish a champion on the night but boxing history is star studded with ring legends and we shouldn’t need a mega bout to recall their names. Even in the long list that spring to mind, there are those whose stories transcend the sport that made them and none…certainly none that I know of…capture the nobility of the fighting spirit more than the ‘The Saint Paul Thunderbolt’ Billy Miske.

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