THE FACE OF BOXING
Photographs by WOJTEK URBANEK | Text by THOMAS HAUSER KURT SCOBY AND THE HARDEST THING TO DO IN BOXING KURT SCOBY AND THE HARDEST THING TO DO IN BOXING THE FACE OF BOXING Kurt Scoby and the Hardest Thing to Do in Boxing Photographs by Wojtek Urbanek • Text by Thomas Hauser THE FACE OF BOXING THE FACE OF BOXING
Kurt Scoby is a 30-year-old junior- welterweight. One year ago, he was rolling along with a 13-0 (11 KOs) ring record and a successful ShoBox appearance (KO 2 over John Mannu) on his resume. Then he fought toughman alumnus Dakota Linger in Atlanta. Linger (a policeman from Buckhannon, West Virginia) was a 30-to-1 underdog. He came into the fight with a 13-6-3 record and had won only two of his previous eight outings. But one of those wins was K urt Scoby is a 29-year- old junior welterweight. One year ago, he was rolling along with a 13-0 (11 KOs) ring record and a successful ShoBox appearance (TKO 2 over John Mannu) on his resume. Then he fought Toughman alumnus Dakota Linger in Atlanta. Linger (a policeman from Kurt Scoby is a 30-year-old junior- welterweight. One year ago, he was rolling along with a 13-0 (11 KOs) ring record and a successful ShoBox appearance (KO 2 over John Mannu) on his resume. Then he fought toughman alumnus Dakota Linger in Atlanta. Linger (a policeman from Kurt Scoby is a 30-year-old junior- welterweight. One year ago, he was rolling along with a 13-0 (11 KOs) ring record and a successful ShoBox appearance (KO 2 over John Mannu) on his resume. Then he fought toughman alumnus Dakota Linger in Atlanta. Linger (a policeman from
“If Dakota took boxing lessons,” one scribe noted after Linger-Vargas, “he might be good.” Scoby controlled the early going against Linger. But unlike past opponents, Dakota didn’t crumble when Kurt hit him. Then Linger started landing hard right hands of his own. And he beat Scoby down. The referee called a halt to the action at the 2:21 mark of Round 6. There was no objection from the losing corner. Kurt is on the comeback trail now. But the mountain toward a world title fight just got higher to climb. “I know what happened that night,” Scoby says of his loss to Linger. “In boxing, you can never sleep on
against the man who beat him. Great fighters come back from knockout losses. Joe Louis, Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko, Thomas knockout losses. Joe Louis, Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko, Thomas come back from knockout losses. Joe Louis, Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko and Roberto Duran are among the many warriors who stand testament to that. But one should consider the Hearns, and Roberto Duran are among the many warriors who stand testament to that. But one should consider the words of Sugar Ray Robinson who cautioned, “The hardest thing for a fighter to do is to come back and beat a man who has beaten him badly.” words of Sugar Ray Robinson who cautioned, “The hardest thing for a fighter to do is to come back and beat a man who has beaten him badly.” words of Sugar Ray Robinson, who cautioned, “The hardest thing for a fighter to do is to come back and beat a man who has beaten him badly.” against the man who beat him. Great fighters come back from an opponent. In a way, you have to be humble. I wasn’t as focused as I should have been, and I paid the price. But I’m dealing with it and coming back stronger.” Scoby would like a rematch against the man who beat him. Great fighters Hearns, and Roberto Duran are among the many warriors who stand testament to that. But one should consider the
Photographs by WOJTEK URBANEK | Text by THOMAS HAUSER Photographs by WOJTEK URBANEK | Text by THOMAS HAUSER
a shock second-round upset of prospect Josue Vargas at Madison Square Garden. “If Dakota took boxing lessons,” one scribe noted after Linger- Vargas, “he might be good.” Scoby controlled the early going against Linger. But unlike past opponents, Dakota didn’t crumble when Kurt hit him. Then Linger started landing hard right hands of his own. And he beat Scoby down. The referee called a halt to the action at the 2:21 mark of
round six. There was no objection from the losing corner. Kurt is on the comeback trail now. But the mountain toward a world title fight just got higher to climb. “I know what happened that night,” Scoby says of his loss to Linger. “In boxing, you can never sleep on an opponent. In a way, you have to be humble. I wasn’t as focused as I should have been, and I paid the price. But I’m dealing with it and coming back stronger.” Scoby would like a rematch
against the man who beat him Great fighters come back from knockout losses. Joe Louis, Le Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko, Tho Hearns, and Roberto Duran ar among the many warriors who stand testament to that. But one should consider th words of Sugar Ray Robinson cautioned, “The hardest thing fighter to do is to come back a beat a man who has beaten h badly.”
a shock second-round upset of prospect Josue Vargas at Madison Square Garden. “If Dakota took boxing lessons,” one scribe noted after Linger- Vargas, “he might be good.” Scoby controlled the early going against Linger. But unlike past opponents, Dakota didn’t crumble one scribe noted after Linger- Vargas, “he might be good.” Scoby controlled the early going against Linger. But unlike past opponents, Dakota didn’t crumble when Kurt hit him. Then Linger started landing hard right hands of his own. And he beat Scoby down. The referee called a halt to the action at the 2:21 mark of when Kurt hit him. Then Linger started landing hard right hands of his own. And he beat Scoby down. The referee called a halt to the action at the 2:21 mark of a shock second-round upset of prospect Josue Vargas at Madison Square Garden. “If Dakota took boxing lessons,”
round six. There was no objection from the losing corner. Kurt is on the comeback trail now. But the mountain toward a world title fight just got higher to climb. “I know what happened that night,” Scoby says of his loss to Linger. “In boxing, you can never sleep on an opponent. In a way, you have to be humble. I wasn’t as focused as I should have been, and I paid the price. But I’m dealing with it and coming back stronger.” Scoby would like a rematch night,” Scoby says of his loss to Linger. “In boxing, you can never sleep on an opponent. In a way, you have to be humble. I wasn’t as focused as I should have been, and I paid the price. But I’m dealing with it and coming back stronger.” Scoby would like a rematch round six. There was no objection from the losing corner. Kurt is on the comeback trail now. But the mountain toward a world title fight just got higher to climb. “I know what happened that
Buckhannon, West Virginia) was a 30-to-1 underdog. He came into the fight with a 13-6-3 record and had won only two of his previous eight outings. But one of those wins was a second-round shock upset of prospect Josue Vargas in The Theatre at Madison Square Garden. Buckhannon, West Virginia) was a 30-to-1 underdog. He came into the fight with a 13-6-3 record and had won only two of his previous eight outings. But one of those wins was Buckhannon, West Virginia) was a 30-to-1 underdog. He came into the fight with a 13-6-3 record and had won only two of his previous eight outings. But one of those wins was
Wojtek Urbanek can be reached at studio@wojtekurbanek.com | Thomas Hauser’s email address is thomashauserwriter@gmail.com
Wojtek Urbanek can be reached at studio@wojtekurbanek.com | Thomas Hauser’s email address is thomashauserwriter@gmail.com Wojtek Urbanek can be reached at studio@wojtekurbanek.com | Thomas Hauser’s email address is thomashauserwriter@gmail.com
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