Can DBS float like a butterfly, sting like a bee?

EVEN as the world mourned the death of Muhammad Ali in June, fans were left with a deep mystery that marked the heavyweight boxer's career. It was 1965, and the man with the dancing feet had thrown a punch that knocked out his opponent Sonny Liston, and ended the fight in 2.12 minutes. Or did he? Even Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) doubted himself somewhat, with the crowd claiming Liston had dived over a "phantom punch" from Ali.

But the mystery would not diminish Ali's status as a legendary heavyweight boxer, as time went on to show, and his prowess offers lessons for an Asian heavyweight bank like DBS.

This writer can hardly claim to be a fan of Ali, but has found some vivid analogies between him and DBS, even as Singapore's own heavyweight finds itself embroiled in yet another debacle so close to the end of the year.