THE chiseled physique of the heavyweight champion who gave him the early nickname of “Smokin’ Joe” remained unmistakable. So was the self-confident swagger and the “Master Blaster” thwack of the stroke.
From half-mile away there could be no doubt that Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards (there was even a daunting ring to his full name, gradually and incongruously contracted to Viv) was still addressing his energy to a ball. Yet, when I last saw him in action last
