Opening Bell: Tony Harrison vs Jarrett Hurd, Manny Pacquiao Wants Conor McGregor

Opening Bell: Tony Harrison vs Jarrett Hurd, Manny Pacquiao Wants Conor McGregor

I suppose it was inevitable. When you cover boxing for long enough (almost seven years and counting), eventually two of the fighters you follow most closely are going to fight. Sometimes it will

I’ve covered other D.C. vs. Detroit matchups before, and have felt plenty torn about the results before and after. But this is unique. I first met Tony Harrison in Atlantic City when he admired my girlfriend wearing my Tigers coat. Since then I’ve seen him rise to to a contender, all while putting the city of Detroit on his back and repping it as hard as possible. It killed me to watch him let down his guard and get knocked out by Willie Monroe Jr. in a fight he was winning going away. I was so upset I couldn’t write about it.

They say you are supposed to stay neutral, but goddamn I’m glad I’m not.

Jarrett Hurd is the one that surprised me. You could see it coming with Gervonta, or even Mike Reed, but Jarrett was never even the best amateur in his division. He was a solid fighter, and he fought his way up the rank.