This is a true story, or maybe not. What do you think?

Her name is Milly, a fourteen year old living in a French town of just over twelve hundred people. Excellent student, first in her class for years; intelligent, excellent reader. Milly is also an athlete!

She has enjoyed a bit of everything, from athletics, swimming, climbing, to other disciplines imposed at school, such as basketball and volleyball. She has her preferences and of course these have changed over the years, but she has maintained her love of boxing for the past five years.

Every Wednesday, rain or shine, Milly prepares her bag and goes to train. There, in addition to moving, attacking and defending, Milly has learned a code; rules of coexistence and respect. Young boxers, boys and girls between the ages of ten and seventeen, greet before and after combat, apply themselves thoroughly, behave seriously while having fun and improving their qualities.

Milly likes Mohammed Ali, knows who he was because she has been informed and has seen the films and reports on the boxing legend. Of course she also has a poster of the phenom in her room.

There are others, reflecting Milly's personality. There are animals, landscapes, photos of space and some other things. Milly is not interested, at the moment, in practising judo, because she loves boxing and does not plan to quit or change her discipline, but next to the Mohammed Ali poster, there is another one in her private collection. It is a photo of a certain Teddy Riner, celebrating the achievement of his tenth World title. "Because he's my favorite athlete," says Milly. Not much to add.

There they are, the two of them, sharing a wall in a teenager's room: the best boxer of all time with the best judoka of his time.

See also
Commonwealth Games 2026
Results From the Third Day - Women

02. Aug. 2026 / -78 kg: Reid Does the Double!

Commonwealth Games 2026
Results From the Third Day - Men

02. Aug. 2026 / -100 kg: Kyle Reyes is a Class Act!

Commonwealth Games 2026
British Family Connections on the Podium

02. Aug. 2026 / Unlike the Olympic Games where entries represent single ...

Athlete Stories
Malaysia’s History-Maker

02. Aug. 2026 / Amir Daniel Bin Abdul Majeed (MAS) is just 22 but he ...

Judo for Children
Teddy Riner Brings Inspiration to Egypt's Beaches

02. Aug. 2026 / For the second consecutive year, the Egyptian Judo ...

Commonwealth Games 2026
Results From the Second Day - Men

01. Aug. 2026 / -73 kg: Nairne Takes Title in Front of Royal Family

Commonwealth Games 2026
Results From the Second Day - Women

01. Aug. 2026 / -63 kg: Canadian Claims Crown

Commonwealth Games 2026
Cyprus Came to Glasgow Prepared

01. Aug. 2026 / On day one of the Commonwealth Games judo event, the ...

Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Sport and the IJF Celebrate Shared Values

01. Aug. 2026 / The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow was never supposed ...

Commonwealth Games 2026
Results From the First Day - Men

31. Jul. 2026 / -60 kg: Harsh Singh Delivers a Dynamic Blow to the ...

Commonwealth Games 2026
Results From the First Day - Women

31. Jul. 2026 / -48 kg: Asmita Dey (IND) is the New Commonwealth Champion

Commonwealth Games 2026
The Preliminary Rounds - Day 1

31. Jul. 2026 / As the final block was approaching on the first day ...

Obituary
The IJF Mourns the Passing of Ali Shaherkani

31. Jul. 2026 / The International Judo Federation is deeply saddened ...

INTERVIEW EXPRESS
Shishime Ai (JPN)

08. Jun. 2018 / The next reigning world champion to be invited to answer ...

News
5 Key Takeaways from judo’s first Tokyo 2020 qualifier

06. Jun. 2018 / Highlights from Hohhot Grand Prix 2018

VIDEO
Judo for the World in Iran

07. Jun. 2018 / In April 2018, the International Judo Federation and ...

Meeting
JUDO: A Beneficial Cause

07. Jun. 2018 / 'Society should believe in sport as a beneficial cause ...