Who are some fighters you’d want your children to aspire towards as a person inside and outside the ring?
Little Red Lopez Mathew Saad Muhammad Out here in Sacramento we had a pretty good Welterweight Contender in the late 70s. Pete Ranzany. He didn't win the title and achieve that dream but he made a career working as a CO in Folsom Prison. He taught boxing there and eventually retired. Just a solid dude in the community. He was able to have a good life, help people and stay close to boxing . I like to see how people respond when they don't get what they want. Pete was a good example.
Max Schmeling, Floyd Patterson, Alexis Arguello and Archie Moore are all the first that come to mind when we talk about the great ambassadors for boxing
Dude abandoned his entire family and replaced them in Russia. Built his son up for boxing then ditched him and has been to one or two of the fights he destined his son for and they rarely speak. Not exactly a great role model IMO. Though he is humble and quite polite despite his flaws as a family man he makes for a good gentleman and professional ambassador of the sport. I also happen to have a set of gloves signed by him so I am a fan myself.
Cmon Holmes should’ve been an easy pick for you. He’s one of mine a straight shooter who kept all his money safe and gave a ton back to his home community despite being a bit prickly he was a perfect gentleman by the word of a few people I know who have met him. I never understood how the public warmed to Ali and felt no affection for Holmes Muhammad the unapologetic racist, the alleged Pedo the womaniser and abuser. A man who was the mascot for separatist murderous thugs and spoke at Klan rallies. Someone who in his 40s was deemed to unintelligent, racist and obnoxious to actually use for more modern journalism they looked at him with pity after boxing and in his last years especially I haven’t got why people loved him in his own time.
