"Boxing" is a song from Ben Folds Five's 1995 self-titled debut album. It was written by Ben Folds. A live version appears on the 1998 album ''

Naked Baby Photos ''Naked Baby Photos'' is a compilation album comprising outtake material from recordings of Ben Folds Five's first two studio albums and live performances. Most of the tracks are previously unreleased rarities. Caroline Records' webpage for ''N ...

''.Amazon.com
/ref> The song also appears in a solo version by Folds on the 2005 download-only album '' iTunes Originals - Ben Folds'' and in a symphonic version with the

West Australian Symphony Orchestra The West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) is an Australian symphony orchestra based in Perth, Western Australia. Its principal concert venue is the Perth Concert Hall. WASO also gives concerts at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre. , W ...

on the 2005 DVD ''

Ben Folds and WASO Live in Perth ''Ben Folds and WASO Live in Perth'' is a DVD featuring performances by singer-songwriter and pianist Ben Folds, backed by the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. Filmed over two nights on March 12 and 13, 2005, at Kings Park, Western Australia, ...

'', and in an a cappella version on '' Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella!''. The song was inspired by Ben Folds' father's love of boxing,michaelbluejay.com
/ref> and is written from the perspective of Muhammad Ali as he considers retiring from the sport. The hypothetical monologue is addressed to

Howard Cosell Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also probabl ...

, the famous sports announcer who covered boxing matches of that era. Bette Midler covered the song on her 1998 album '' Bathhouse Betty''.

Jon Foreman Jonathan Mark Foreman (born October 22, 1976) is an American musician, the lead singer, guitarist, main songwriter and co-founder of the alternative rock band Switchfoot. He started Switchfoot in 1996 with drummer Chad Butler and his brother Tim ...

of Switchfoot covered the song on a rare cover compilation only found on the internet entitled ''Songs By Other Folk''.

References

Ben Folds Five songs 1995 songs Songs written by Ben Folds {{1990s-rock-song-stub