Thomas Hauser

“I've learned over the years that big-name writers might be treated fairly by the media conglomerates that dominate publishing today. But the average author isn't.”

“When something in the sweet science doesn't look right, most likely it isn't.”

“Most major sports benefit from the fact that betting by the general public fuels fan interest and boosts television ratings. The Super Bowl and 'March Madness' are prime examples. But sports other than boxing draw a clear line where betting by participants is concerned.”

“Laila Ali is boxing's real-life million-dollar baby.”

“One can construct a strong legal and ethical argument for minimizing the fees that are paid to world sanctioning organizations in conjunction with championship bouts. It's not uncommon for skilled fighters to be denied championship opportunities while less-talented but better-connected boxers fight for belts.”

“The Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice should take a long, hard look at the standard publishing contract.”

“Being a good police officer is one of the most difficult, dangerous, idealistic jobs in the world.”

“Even when the heavyweight champion was a fighter of limited ability, he was still the heavyweight champion of the world.”

“When Roy Jones was young, he glowed. There was an aura about him, and words came out of his mouth like bursts of machine-gun fire.”

“Three of my childhood dreams went unfulfilled. I never saw a no-hitter, never saw a triple play, and never caught a ball that had been hit into the stands. But I did see the Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in a World Series game when I was 10.”

“Trinidad is a great fighter; he's exciting, and he goes in tough. His roster of opponents includes Pernell Whitaker, Oscar De La Hoya, David Reid, Fernando Vargas, and Hopkins. It's hard to imagine Felix being in a boring fight.”

“Boxing is allowed to exist as an exception to state laws against violence on the premise that it will be regulated in a manner that protects the combatants physically and financially.”

“As well-intentioned as it might be, the Ali Act suffers from glaring flaws.”

“Most people have been on a baseball diamond and a basketball court. At least once in their life, they've walked across a football field. But relatively few people have ever set foot inside a boxing ring.”

“It's unlikely that Arturo Gatti will ever be in a boring fight.”

“Few fighters reach Mike Tyson's level, of course.”

“It's not fun to get punched in the face. It's hard, and there's no glory in it.”

“There's a difference between world-class fighters and club fighters. It's similar to the distinction between a Grammy Award nominee and a guy who sings in Holiday Inn cocktail lounges.”