Muhammad Ali at the Olympics

One image lingers in my memory: the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, when Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic flame. His left arm trembled uncontrollably as he held aloft the torch with his right hand. It was a haunting sight. The Greatest, scythed down by Parkinson’s. That’s the price many boxers pay.

So again, why return? Tyson did it at 58 to fight Jake Paul. Pacquiao is only 46. Even that comparison feels unconvincing.

It’s unlikely to be about money. Pacquiao’s glittering career brought him immense wealth. He’s a businessman and a former senator. Still, the Barrios fight reportedly netted him around $18 million. That’s hard to ignore.

Shyam A. Krishna

Shyam A. Krishna has been slicing and dicing news for nearly 40 years and is in no mood to slow down. As Acting Editor, he runs the newsroom — digital and print. 

Sports was the passion that ignited his career, and he now writes about just about everything: news, business, sports, health, travel, and entertainment. Even cooking! You might have spotted him at COP28, the Arabian Travel Market, the Dubai World Cup racing, the T20 World Cup cricket, the Dubai tennis and Abu Dhabi Formula One motor racing.  

Before all that, the newsroom was (and still is) his home turf. As Night Editor, he designed and produced pages for several years before focusing on Opinion pieces.  

The transition from Opinion Editor to Senior Associate Editor signalled a return to writing — from special reports and blogs to features. And when he’s not chasing stories or deadlines, Shyam is probably making travel plans or baking something.Â