Corrie Sanders literally put himself between his daughter and gunmen who were committing a holdup at a restaurant and took fatal bullet shots to protect her. After being shot, he fell on top of her and told her to play dead. That’s /thread as far as I’m concerned, and I’m a Sanders critic as far as him as a boxer. But that is the very definition of bravery and heroism.
In theory most would, but that’s usually not tested. In the crucial moment, he made that decision and acted on it. Heck, I bet if you dig into it more boxers than not who have fathered children aren’t really in their lives anyway. Bottom line is you can’t say someone is brave because of what you think they would have done in a circumstance. We know what Corrie did.
Rudell Stitch was the bravest. You can read the reasons why: https://nyfights.com/worldwide/the-greater-love-of-rudell-stitch/
Thanks for sharing this Kid! What an amazing and sad story at the same time. Bravery personified, in and out of the ring, Oh, and the importance of loving family all the way down the line. Tragedy first taking the father and then, later, the mother. The two primary safety nets for the children ripped away - that might’ve seen the family ultimately busted up BUT for the amazing stepping up of the Grandmother. Incredible story, thanks again.
Eugene Cirique - "While doing guard duty at Verdun, his jaw was shattered by a sniper's bullet. A surgeon reconstructed the jaw using wire, silver, and a goat leg." After WW1 he continued Boxing and became Champion.
Kassim Ouma - Was kidnapped and forced to be a child soldier. Has seen shootouts, explosions, death etc at an age no one should encounter. Tom Molineaux - Was a slave that got freed do to winning a fight against a fellow slave thus winning a lot of money for his slave master. Zora Folley - Military sergeant having fought in the Korean War earning five battle stars. Danny Hodge - Fell asleep at the wheel and ended up crashing into a river, he punched the window out and swam to safety while having a broken neck and smashing all his teeth. Corrie Sanders - Sacrificed himself to save his daughter during an armed robbery. Jack Johnson- The first African American World Heavyweight Champion when racial tensions were at an all time high, used to date white women and get in trouble with the police which didn't help his reputation with White America. Muhammad Ali - Stood up for what he believed in when it came to Vietnam and his religious beliefs knowing that public would slander him for it (Which they did)
There's no one answer, as there are hundreds of boxers who could qualify and a sport as violent as boxing, will naturally attract brave individuals. Simply because you aren't going far in the sport without it. In terms of quality of opposition, guys like Sammy Angott, Archie Moore and Fatboy Meehan have to take the cake. They didn't give a ****, and fought anybody. In terms of being impossible to dissuade, you've got guys like Henry Armstrong, Dick Tiger, and Harry Greb. But yeah, the first name I thought of upon reading the title was Emile Griffith.