Does the Morality of Champions Matter?

We aren't discussing the character championship here. It has no relevance to boxing. It's like saying Mahatma Gandhi wasn't a moral champion because he had a lousy left hook.

 

Of course morality becomes an issue, because a lot of these guys have fan boys who believe that they are demi gods and make all kinds of excuses for their failings in the ring, and in life. It is not so much a judgement of these fighters. It is more a way of letting these idiot fan boys know, that there are no gods, in sport or any other walk of life.

 

Ali did worse than anything you mentioned him doing.
He publicly called for race and religious murder.
Should we ignore this?
It all depends on your opinion of murder.

 

YES.. It matters greatly.


The title holder is much more than just muscle and sinew... He is the face of a sport, his actions can and will be held against him.

Most people will root for the good guy. Everyone hates a jerk, and people will not watch the fights, or stay away from it if they do not like the champions.

People need someone to root for.... hence the enduring love of Braddock, Patterson, Tunney, Marciano....

 

no, small letters.

Yes IF the fighter(s), is truly a despicable individual, vile monstrous creature.

I'd say we should be more interested "in the Morality of How some of them Got There and/or remained there in the first place!"

the Morality of Promoters, Managers and Boxing Boards, who know NO Morality, is more of a concern and a serious stain on Boxing overall and then of course on some fighters!

 

You don't get anywhere in life without being at least a little bit unlikable I always say...

but I'll toss in Carlos Monzon and Sugar Ray Robinson into this conversation

 

It matters to me. I can't watch Mike Tyson fight without thinking, "That ****** sure can punch." You can say that he did his time, and that sort of thing doesn't matter since it's outside of the ring, but ask yourself, would you want the heavyweight champion of the world to be a child molester?

Makes it hard to enjoy a Ray Robinson fight since I know that afterwards he'd go home and pound on his wife and children. Bob Dylan is my favorite rock musician and I used to love The Hurricane; but ever since I learned the truth about Rubin Carter I can't enjoy that song. I know a lot of people think very highly of Jake LaMotta, but when you hear about the things he did, it's just sickening. Ditto Adonis Stevenson.

 

Put it this way if you found out your favourite singer
was a child abuser,and I'm mentioning no names, would that have any bearing as to the quality of his voice? Your favourite actor was convicted of ****,would that mean his acting immediately became rubbish? You judge them on their performances in their chosen field ,you don't have to condone their predilections or behaviour.

 

Thing is, even if we do think it should matter, how can we ever know exactly what goes on in a champion's 'private life' ?

 

To be fair, Muhammad Ali was an out and out ideological racist, and articulated his racist opinions many times.

It's bizarre how he's become portrayed as some sort of champion of "anti-racism" when he was very clear that he believed blacks and whites should not mix.
In fact he was clear that ALL races should stay separate, and viewed them as separate species.

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Yeah, but most religious people are hypocrites and 'sinners'. I mean, we're talking millions, billions, of people.
In fact, I think that's even written into the Christian religion - "we are all sinners", as long as you repent before you die.
Holyfield's 'sins' are kind of mild.

 

Depends on what they have actually been convicted of.
Who among us is without flaw.

Just a thought.

 

Agree with your first line. For instance Marciano's infidelity and cheapness although condemnable is not bad in the wider of context of things.

 

It doesn't matter one iota to a fighters resume.