Throwing no punches

A final word on Alex Mehta, the 30-year-old barrister behind legal Web site Freelawyer, who, as Obiter reported last week, was fighting in London for the world 'white collar' light-middleweight boxing title.

He took advantage of an opponent, New York judge Phil Maier, who apparently conceded that he did not like hitting people (something of a problem in the ring, we would guess), to win a split decision.

'Mehta threw no more punches than absolutely necessary,' London's Evening Standard reported, 'while Maier never looked remotely threatening.' The judge said he knew he was on to a hiding to nothing, because, as he told the paper: 'I'm pretty good - for a43-year-old who's not a natural athlete.'