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
Athlete Stories
Andreja Leski: What a Way to End an Elite Career!

05. Mar. 2026 / What a way to close an already exemplary career! Andreja ...

Upper Austria GP 2026
Upper Austria GP 2026 Ready to Raise the Standard in Linz

03. Mar. 2026 / The IJF World Judo Tour moves on swiftly from Tashkent ...

Upper Austria GP 2026
Upper Austria Grand Prix 2026: What to Look Out For? (Part 1)

04. Mar. 2026 / The World Judo Tour continues its momentum this weekend ...

News
New Inspiration in the Himalayas

04. Mar. 2026 / The Himalayan region is stunningly beautiful but remains ...

OTP Group Tashkent GS 2026
The World Judo Tour Sparkled in Tashkent

01. Mar. 2026 / The final day of the OTP Group Tashkent Grand Slam ...

OTP Group Tashkent GS 2026
+100 kg: A Grand Finale in Tashkent

01. Mar. 2026 / Top seed on home soil, Alisher Yusupov (UZB) carried ...

OTP Group Tashkent GS 2026
+78 kg: Sone Returned to the Summit

01. Mar. 2026 / For months, even years, she had been largely absent ...

OTP Group Tashkent GS 2026
-100 kg: Sadrudinov Struck at the Last Moment

01. Mar. 2026 / Zelym Kotsoiev (AZE) is the kind of champion who wins ...

OTP Group Tashkent GS 2026
-78 kg: Issoufi Executed Her Plan to Perfection

01. Mar. 2026 / The -78 kg category was the first in which the line-up ...

OTP Group Tashkent GS 2026
-90 kg: Fatiyev Stunned the Favourite

01. Mar. 2026 / There are certain judoka for whom fans make the journey ...

OTP Group Tashkent GS 2026
Tashkent: Where Judo Brings Nations Together

28. Feb. 2026 / The OTP Group Tashkent Grand Slam 2026 was declared ...

Cadet WC 2027
Moldova to Host the 2027 Cadet World Championships

28. Feb. 2026 / Today in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, running parallel to ...

OTP Group Tashkent GS 2026
-81 kg: Rajabli Seized His Moment with Authority

28. Feb. 2026 / The identity of the -81 kg finalists remained uncertain ...

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 ...