Boxers whose stories make you tear up a little?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Rollin, Jan 20, 2022.


  1. Rollin

    Rollin Boxing Addict Full Member

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    "It is cruel because it is founded on dreams but remorselessly destroys them. It doesn't care and you work with thieves, liars and silver-tongued larcenists. Indeed it's' almost bad as politics in that way, except politics doesn't' spit you out minced up and broke."

    Brutal sport indeed. What boxers have backstories/careers (tragic ones, if it ain't obvious) that make you shed a tear?
     
  2. ThatOne

    ThatOne Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Rudi Lubbers was homeless.
     
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  3. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Emile Griffith and Rubin Carter. Never fails to get me.
     
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  4. Bukkake

    Bukkake Boxing Addict Full Member

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    When Juan Laporte's son died in 1986, he was buried along with his father's WBC world title belt. When Jose Suleiman heard this about this, he presented Laporte with a second belt.
     
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  5. Bulldog24

    Bulldog24 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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  6. ThatOne

    ThatOne Boxing Addict Full Member

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  7. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    It's hard not to cheer for Steve Cunningham when he is trying to pay for his daughter's medical bills.
     
  8. Mike Cannon

    Mike Cannon Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Not so much backstories but, any fighter that ends up punch drunk and penniless, in particular the fighters that have been champions, too many to single out but the likes of , Chacon, Saad, Gavilan, Wolgast, Kid Mcoy, brave and true champs one and all, so sad... keep safe.
     
  9. OP_TheJawBreaker

    OP_TheJawBreaker NOBODY hit like that guy! Full Member

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  10. ikrasevic

    ikrasevic Who is ready to suffer for Christ (the truth)? Full Member

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  11. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Not a tearful ending so much as beginning, but the thought of little boy Matthew Franklin being abandoned on the street by his parents is heart-wrenching.

    Someone else can correct me on details, but all he knew was that his name was Matthew and he was given to the care of nuns in a convent — they gave him the name Franklin because he was found on Franklin Street.

    Grew up, took up boxing, became a Muslim and was a celebrated world champion with as much heart as anyone has ever seen — Matthew Saad Muhammad.
     
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  12. BELLERS

    BELLERS Active Member Full Member

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    Johnny Tapia. Incredibly sad story.
     
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  13. AlFrancis

    AlFrancis Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Victor Young Perez. World flyweight champ murdered on a death march from Auschwitz in 1945.
     
  14. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    The deaths of Nonpareil Dempsey and Joe Gans really do it for me.
     
  15. Freddy Benson.

    Freddy Benson. Active Member Full Member

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    Unfortunately there are far, far too many tragic stories. Johann ‘Rukeli’ Trollmann murdered at Wittenberge always stood out for me. A brave and decent man.
     
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