A Boxer's Poem - By "Irish" Pat Lawlor ""Irish" Pat Lawlor recited this poem to John Scully in the dressing room a little while before he walked out to fight Vinny Pazienza on July 27, 2001 in Providence. Scully was so impressed he asked Lawlor to please get a copy of it. Lawlor went right over to his gym bag and pulled one out. Here it is. One fighter's outlook...probably the similar outlook of a thousand faceless and nameless other boxers in this world." - Scoop Malinowski: International Boxing Digest, 2003 (UNTITLED) By Pat Lawlor Sometimes I think it's a lowdown shame the way I try to hang in this rough, crazy game My body is aching, my hands and feet are sore. And I'm getting really tired of pulling myself up off the floor It all started as a tribute to a friend But since I won my belt I've been knocked down and down again. My training, now that's a thing of the past And if I might go running its not too far and never too fast I had good fights, like that one in Reno A good solid win, and then drinks with McGravey and Citrino. I built a pretty good resume, a kid from the street Benitez and Duran were two of the big names I beat At least their the ones I most like to boast and brag, better than my losses to Norris and Camacho, that *** I've been up and down and up again and I know my sport through and through. It's not run by Don King like everybody thinks. It's run by his rival, Bob Arum, a real cheap screw I'm at the point of my career where I'm dealing with pimps, another one of their whores. Taking fights on short notice and picking myself off of different arena floors Who will it be tonight? another young undefeated kid, I go one, maybe two rounds, then BAM -across the apron I skid It's not like I've been training and have a legitimate chance to win it When the usher opens the door and yells "LAWLOR YOU'RE UP" I just say to the others "BE BACK IN A MINUTE" It's the fast money that attracts me, and the traveling's fun, too, I mean quick cash and a trip to another country..... I think most people would take it, don't you ?? The times I miss the most are the days with Al and Tom Citrano would always get me riled up, McGarvey would always keep me calm. McCarvey was my manager, a good old Irish gent and all those big fights I had, he never took one red cent Citrano was my trainer and my buddy and my pal Although his birth certificate called him Amadeo everybody else just called him Al. It was a pretty good team we made back then More memories than I could possibly write down with this pen But Tom has since retired and Al has passed away Now the trainer I had last fight wont be the one I have today They are usually people that just work for the show I just show up to collect my quick dough. One of these trips, however, completely changed my life I went down to Panama to fight Roberto Duran and came back home with a wife. Not the smartest thing to do, being homeless myself Better to get a good solid job and put the boxing career on the shelf. But I'm trying like hell to get her here, so I'm working on a fast money making pace. I think this fight should do it, enough money to get me a pad The best birthday present for my daughter Sarah who has every reason in the world to be mad. Soon it will be all done my career, the traveling, this so-called fun I could have been a warehouse worker or a cook on short order. But I became a local boxing hero, due to my friend Merlin Porter It was a goal I had set, a tribute to his name Never did I think it would bring me such fame. That's all I wanted, was a belt for my Pal Though I'd like to win one more for McGarvey and Al Once I've done that I think I could close the door..... that's all there is, there just ain't no more Irish Pat Lawlor 2001
