Olympics Boxing Beijing.com

I've been Conferred an O.B.E.

by Jaime K. Pimentel

This is no joke. I was conferred an O.B.E. about two years ago. It's a long story but I'll tell it anyway.

I am ''doing the pads'' with a youngster when I feel a light tap on the shoulder. It's this grey-haired father of a new kid. ''My name's Ross,'' he says with a slight accent. ''Wanna have a spar?''

Make my day. It's not often I get an offer from a old chap in this gym full of young guns itching to get in the ring with you. ''Be with you in a minute, Ross.''

We went two rounds. Ross had a good stiff jab and, to my relief, had probably lost some of thump and ring savvy he must have had as a youngster. But he peppered my mug with it. Covered himself well on the way out, too.

I had to take the fight to him, though, but in an embarrassing moment Ross stopped momentarily to adjust my headguard - it was partially blocking my vision - and in that split second my right cross was on its way to his beak. My best shot of the night.

We climbed down off the ring with tongues hanging out from sheer exhaustion and Ross was first to confess to Father Dave: ''Must be getting old, Dave. Two rounds was all I could do.''

''Why, how old are you, Ross?''

''Goodness, I'm already 52!''

''Well, young man,'' said Father Dave with a wink. ''You have just sparred with a man 22 years your senior. He's 72. Didn't you know? We have conferred an O.B.E. on Jaime''

That was news to me, too, but Ross beat me to begging the question: ''What do you mean an O.B.E.?''

With a straight face but betraying a mischievous streak, Father Dave snapped: ''Oldest Bastard 'Ere''.

He wasn't lying, either. And that's no joke.

Jaime K. Pimentel Now a Sydney-based journalist and sub-editor with Fairfax, Jaime has a bachelor's degree in Journalism and a master's in Advertising and Newspaper Management, and formerly lectured in Journalism. Jaime is also a boxing gold medallist, and has officiated Amateur boxing as both a referee and a judge in both Australia and the Philippines.

Rocky Gattellari's Olympic Dream
He fought for the world title against Salvatore Burruni in front of 35,...
rocky-gattellari's-olympic-dream.php

Catching Up With Cooper And Ali
"He was a very nice guy," he told me. "Great sense of ...
catching-up-with-cooper-and-ali.php

Proud As Punch
The loin-cloth clad competitors were in for the kill - literally! They wer...
proud-as-punch.php

Is Amateur Boxing Really Boxing
It has been too long since I was involved to try a...
is-amateur-boxing-really-boxing.php

Blood, Sweat, And Broken Noses
Like these people? I had made the mistake of a...
blood,-sweat,-and-broken-noses.php

For The Love Of Boxing
And I enjoy watching the fights even better in the company of Bugsy, especially...
for-the-love-of-boxing.php

The Beijing Nine Fighting For Oz
Competing in their second Olympic Games are Anthony Little, Wes...
the-beijing-nine-fighting-for-oz.php

The Great And Humble Joe Louis
But I will tell you something that shows the Brown Bomber was a decent, humble, lonely man of ...
the-great-and-humble-joe-louis.php

Why Alex Ramos Never Won Olympic Gold
I could talk about the way young men are taken from poverty and poor education and thrust – whilst they are at the...
why-alex-ramos-never-won-olympic-gold.php

Fight A Priest, Trust A Fighter
Before the match we had to wish them success in the dressing-room. So...
fight-a-priest,-trust-a-fighter.php

Those Unforgettable Games
A remembered line from my report at the 1956 Olympic Games, the day...
those-unforgettable-games.php

Lionel Rose, My Boyhood Hero
Mr. Rose was a regular visitor to Maurie's house behind his shop, as t...
lionel-rose,-my-boyhood-hero.php