Not an educated historian- Are there any tragic love stories in boxing?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Journeyman92, Oct 23, 2021.



  1. sweetsci

    sweetsci Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Jackie Kallen has said that her mistake with James Toney, whom she managed early on, was “falling in love with her fighter.”
     
  2. Rafaman

    Rafaman Active Member Full Member

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    Marcel Cerdan plane crashes before his attempted revenge fight with La Motta. His pride was on the line and he had a passionate affair with the singer Edith Piaf. It was Frances greatest boxer dating Frances greatest singer. They were huge news and had purchased a hotel to live in together. She collapses on stage when she hears the news. Piaf blamed herself (she had begged Cerdan to visit her despite his fear of flying) and fell into a deep drug and alcohol-fuelled depression. They were only together for less than a year and Marcel was already married with kids.
     
  3. Rafaman

    Rafaman Active Member Full Member

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    More sad than tragic but Kostya Tszyu and his wife Natasha. She escapes the USSR goes to Australia can’t speak English no money etc. Her husband becomes mega famous and they are living very well with what looks to be a great family. Once his career is over Kostya decides he has more money and fame in Russia than Australia he takes his family over there. They lasted less than 6 months all the kids missed Australia but Kostya refuses to come back and eventually starts a new life with a new woman and separates from his family. I remember all the news reports talking about how close they once were and how she cried every day for the first year wanting to go back home. She eventually made Australia her home .
     
  4. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Michael Spinks' wife died in a car wreck as he was beginning camp for the Qawi unification. She was only 24. They had a very young daughter. He went ahead with the fight. The night of the fight, someone brought his daughter into the dressing room. She asked her dad where her mom was. He broke into tears crying. They took his daughter out. Eddie Futch, his trainer said he never thought they'd get him to the ring. Futch thought it was over. But Spinks calmed himself, went out and boxed smartly and won a hugely impressive 15 round decision. Unified the titles.
     
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  5. Pugguy

    Pugguy Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    These are very sad stories and I appreciate the sharing of same, some unknown to me.

    More historically profiled was the Ketchel, Dipley and Goldie Smith love triangle resulting in the Michigan Assassin’s murder.

    Jim Corbett’s father shot his wife (Jim’s mother) dead and then turned the gun on himself. He was deemed insane and mental illness apparently preexisted in the family as outlined in the linked article. I’ve also read that Jim’s father suffered head injuries from an earlier carriage fall and he was never the same since. I don’t believe that claim is included in the article.

    https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=LAH18980817.2.18
     
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  6. Rumsfeld

    Rumsfeld Moderator Staff Member

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    Chacon was the one that jumped to mind when I saw this thread.
     
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  7. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    To quote John Lardner in what is considered by many to be the best lead in any sports story ever written:

    Stanley Ketchel was 24 years old when he was fatally shot in the back by the common-law husband of the lady who was cooking his breakfast.
     
  8. sweetsci

    sweetsci Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Chacon’s comeback after Valerie’s suicide would be a good video.
     
  9. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    Nonpareil Jack Dempsey's wife hardly left his side when he was dying from consumption.

    A newspaper reported that when he found he was too weak to drink milk, she held it and told him to hold her hand and guide it, that way he could take a drink and hold her hand too.

    After he died, it turned out that she caught the disease from her husband, and died a few few years later, leaving their children orphans.
    https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/nonpareil-jack-dempseys-last-fight.670501/
     
  10. Mark Dunham

    Mark Dunham Well-Known Member Full Member

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    love stories in boxing?

    They're fighters, not lovers
     
  11. Pugguy

    Pugguy Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    PBF’s long term love affair…...with himself.

    The greatest love of all OR just plain tragic?
     
  12. surfinghb

    surfinghb Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Packey McFarland as well ..He was 47 and left behind his wife, 3 daughters, and a son
     
  13. Tonto62

    Tonto62 Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    I didn't know that,that's pretty rough isn' t it.
     
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  14. Pugguy

    Pugguy Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Bill Brennan too. Bought his own bar in recent years from the proceeds of the 2nd Dempsey fight but was later murdered in 1924 by alleged affiliates of the mob who had threatened him for not buying his beer supplies from them. He was just 30 years old and left behind a wife and child.
     
  15. surfinghb

    surfinghb Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Yes it was sad . .He was in love and he retired from Boxing for his wife . She wanted him to study Law and become a "statesman" ... So he retired ... It also helped that he married the daughter of one of the richest men in Joliet, Illinois .. But even before that Packey saved his prize fight money, invested well, and put his brothers and sisters thru schools and college, He was a stand up guy from the tidbit Ive read up on him
     
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