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From Romney to Trudeau: The political history of celebrity boxing

After serving as mayor of Hammond, Indiana for 17 years, Thomas McDermott Jr. is ready to try his luck in the boxing ring.

Speaking on his “Left of Center” podcast last month, the Democrat formally challenged Indiana Republican Senator Todd Young to a celebrity boxing match at the Hammond Civic Center, claiming that his political rival has gone “soft” since being elected to the Senate five years ago.

McDermott’s comments came shortly after the mayor was asked about the rumor that he was planning to challenge Young for his seat in the Senate. Instead of confirming his potential political fight, he instead turned the attention to an entirely different sort of fight.