I’d only ever seen him fight once before. I didn’t know who he was.  As far as I knew, he was untested.  His opposition has been, by the numbers, stellar.  His opponents overall have a won/loss record of 199 – 35 (including Martin).  But they were right, they were right.  Everyone was right except the ones that called for a short night, that said Martin was too old, etc.

They were right when they said Martin would be Anderson’s stiffest challenge to date.  They were right when they said Anderson would win. They were right that he has a special talent.  He is also young, good looking, charismatic, American, and not a douchebag.  In the interviews they did, he was relaxed and unassuming, imminently likable.  I know, I’m sure he has a dark side, we all do.  He was quite candid about some of the seamier aspects of his past, and he appears to be effectively quashing his personal demons.

I had not even considered the American thing till they brought it up last night. But I have mentioned it before – that I have a strong nostalgia for the era of black American champions – 16 in a row from Floyd Patterson to Shannon Briggs. It’s been foreigners ever since then except for the fractional reigns of Andy Ruiz and Deontay Wilder.  (I’m looking at the lineal champion here.)  It’s been 25 years since we had an American lineal champ.

Martin was right when he said he was ready. He gave Anderson a real, professional challenge.  Yes, Anderson won running away, but while he hit Martin more than he got hit, he did get hit. He got rocked in the fifth round. I thought Martin might finish him in the sixth.  Anderson had to go the distance for the first time and faced real adversity.  Now we know he’s got a chin.

I hope they were right with the level of hype they heaped on Anderson.  He looks like he can take it.  I hope that works out. I like his plan to win the title and retire by 27, having made a fortune.  I hope that works out too.

They weren’t right that said he was invincible.  He came perilously close to the cliff’s edge.  But unlike Hrgovic, who was pulled back from the precipice by a trio of maladroit judges, Anderson had to use his strength, talent and wit to climb back on top.

And he did so.  The ones that were hoping for a repeat of Ali vs. Cleveland Williams may have been disappointed, but ai thought what we saw was even better.  He had everything you want in a champ, speed, power, a good jab and guts and grit.  He is the whole package. An all-American, boy-next-door, handsome and admirable man. You can count me among his fans.

Now we know.