The Thrill of the Fight

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Original Air Date: 
May 03, 2015

Forget baseball. Boxing just might be our national sport. After all, the highest paid athlete in the country is a fighter. And a long awaited superfight between this generation's best boxers has earned millions in ticket sales. This hour, we explore the popularity and enduring appeal of combat sports.

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Writer Kerry Howley on the appeal of mixed martial arts.

Length: 
9:44
fighter
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Ever wonder what goes through the mind of a fighter in the moments before a fight? Here's one take, courtesy of writer Jonathan Gottschall.

Length: 
1:54
cage fighter
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Jonathan Gottschall is an English professor who trained for MMA – mixed martial arts – out of curiosity and wound up in the ring. Steve Paulson talked with him about why, and what it taught him about our relationship with violence.

Length: 
13:36
Shields (left) vs. Yenebier Guillén Benítez, 2015
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Claressa Shields has been boxing since she was 11 years old. Today she’s the world middleweight champion — earning gold medals in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics — and is the subject of the documentary “T-Rex.”

Length: 
8:08
Super punch.
Dangerous Ideas

After spending time with a real-life superhero in Seattle called Phoenix Jones, author Jon Ronson wonders if people like him can actually fight crime.

Length: 
3:03
Audio

Sabaa Tahir speaks about the inspiration behind her young adult debut.

Length: 
12:37
Extras
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Last modified: 
February 28, 2023