Question For The Classic Posters......

teeto · Oct 20, 2008

Stonehands89 said:

This is an interesting one -a thread that demands reflection and honesty.

I have neither the luxury nor so much the inclination to spend the hours that many ESB stalwarts spend out here. I appreciate that they do liven it up out here and hope that my contributions measure up by quality if not quantity. My weekends are usually too booked up to even log on to a computer, so I come out on weekday evenings and see what's happening. If there's a thread that piques my interest or someone makes an argument that riles my sporatic intolerance for free speech, I'll post. At times, I have both time and the inclination to make fairly regular posts.

I don't think that I'm obsessed with boxing. But I love it. It has been a beautiful woman in my life -I'm enamored and devoted, even though it breaks my heart and abuses me sometimes. I'll never let go.

Most of what I write is from memory and I'm lucky to have a pretty good one. Probably not photogenic, but if I really care about something I absorb it's details pretty well. When I was about 12 I got into it for reasons that were more practical than passionate. I had the build of Ichabod Crane and there was much violence where I was raised. It was either "be a victim" or "learn how to give concussions." The passion for strategies and such came soon enough when I learned how effective boxing is (those who think it is near useless in a "streetfight" are full of "bleep". Most thugs and hoods can't get by the jab and they are simply unprepared for what's coming next). I was fighting constantly throughout my teenage years -defending turf, for reputation, at times for nobler motivations... and so started watching every fight I could (instead of doing homework) and then started collecting tapes and all that.

When I hit majority age, the streetfighting dropped off and I started going to gyms. Another facet of interest really blossomed there because since I already had good command of the fundamentals I was able to experiment with moves and tactics -some of which were from the grainy old films. I'd spar with pro's and soon discovered that speed and power, straight punching and a good jab just wasn't enough. Technicians were wrecking me. I found -I don't know- kinship (?) with past fighters and of course learned to respect the 'great' among them. So I studied all of it -fundamentals, tactics, strategy, ring psychology, history, etc...

I never cared for other sports. Foreman really nailed any mild interest I might have had into a coffin when he said that "boxing is the sport that all other sports aspire too." How true. Neither touchdowns, grand slams, goals, slam dunks, nor hole-in-ones are as thrilling or as dramatic as the KO. I grew up in and spent alot of time in Boston, although lately, my borderline disdain for other sports has brought along the alienation that compels me to come here. I can't name 2 players on the Patriots, nor can I name 2 on the Red Sox. I honestly could care less. "Home team" my "bleep". How many players are natives to Massachusetts? In 5 years both teams may have completely different rosters. Give me a break. What is that the fans like? The uniforms? The contrast is extreme. Bernard Hopkins is Bernard Hopkins. He's doing honest battle with shorts on -without equipment and pads, without teammates, without time-outs. That's real.

Boxers are the ultimate individualists. You gotta love that. I refer to it as Violent Chess. Barbarians ain't boxers. Strategic minds dominate in the ring -the thinking man, the technican, the man who controls his emotions. It's the ultimate character sport.

Irregardless of Women's boxing -which is (thankfully) fading fast, boxing really is the last bastion of chauvinism, and perhaps one of the last gasps of masculinity in the developed world. Modern men are losing it. They are becoming more feminized by an irrational culture with every succeeding generation. Boxing is a stopgap to this trend. This partly explains why so many call for it's abolition, are threatened by it, or just can't understand it -is it boxing that is alien to them or is it something deeper? I suspect that it is. I suspect that the modern man is fast becoming an alien to himself.

This content is protected

In sum, I love boxing because it kept me from becoming a stain on the street, because of its honesty, its intellectual stimulation, its unique ability to temper and channel our baser instincts, and because it reminds me that masculinity still matters.
Click to expand...

Well im a fan of yours now!

Chinxkid · Oct 20, 2008

Stonehands89 said:

This is an interesting one -a thread that demands reflection and honesty.

I have neither the luxury nor so much the inclination to spend the hours that many ESB stalwarts spend out here. I appreciate that they do liven it up out here and hope that my contributions measure up by quality if not quantity. My weekends are usually too booked up to even log on to a computer, so I come out on weekday evenings and see what's happening. If there's a thread that piques my interest or someone makes an argument that riles my sporatic intolerance for free speech, I'll post. At times, I have both time and the inclination to make fairly regular posts.

I don't think that I'm obsessed with boxing. But I love it. It has been a beautiful woman in my life -I'm enamored and devoted, even though it breaks my heart and abuses me sometimes. I'll never let go.

Most of what I write is from memory and I'm lucky to have a pretty good one. Probably not photographic, but if I really care about something I absorb it's details pretty well. When I was about 12 I got into it for reasons that were more practical than passionate. I had the build of Ichabod Crane and there was much violence where I was raised. It was either "be a victim" or "learn how to give concussions." The passion for strategies and such came soon enough when I learned how effective boxing is (those who think it is near useless in a "streetfight" are full of "bleep". Most thugs and hoods can't get by the jab and they are simply unprepared for what's coming next). I was fighting constantly throughout my teenage years -defending turf, for reputation, at times for nobler motivations... and so started watching every fight I could (instead of doing homework) and then started collecting tapes and all that.

When I hit majority age, the streetfighting dropped off and I started going to gyms. Another facet of interest really blossomed there because since I already had good command of the fundamentals I was able to experiment with moves and tactics -some of which were from the grainy old films. I'd spar with pro's and soon discovered that speed and power, straight punching and a good jab just wasn't enough. Technicians were wrecking me. I found -I don't know- kinship (?) with past fighters and of course learned to respect the 'great' among them. So I studied all of it -fundamentals, tactics, strategy, ring psychology, history, etc...

I never cared for other sports. Foreman really nailed any mild interest I might have had into a coffin when he said that "boxing is the sport that all other sports aspire too." How true. Neither touchdowns, grand slams, goals, slam dunks, nor hole-in-ones are as thrilling or as dramatic as the KO. I grew up in and spent alot of time in Boston, although lately, my borderline disdain for other sports has brought along the alienation that compels me to come here. I can't name 2 players on the Patriots, nor can I name 2 on the Red Sox. I honestly could care less. "Home team" my "bleep". How many players are natives to Massachusetts? In 5 years both teams may have completely different rosters. Give me a break. What is that the fans like? The uniforms? The contrast is extreme. Bernard Hopkins is Bernard Hopkins. He's doing honest battle with shorts on -without equipment and pads, without teammates, without time-outs. That's real.

Boxers are the ultimate individualists. You gotta love that. I refer to it as Violent Chess. Barbarians ain't boxers. Strategic minds dominate in the ring -the thinking man, the technican, the man who controls his emotions. It's the ultimate character sport.

Irregardless of Women's boxing -which is (thankfully) fading fast, boxing really is the last bastion of chauvinism, and perhaps one of the last gasps of masculinity in the developed world. Modern men are losing it. They are becoming more feminized by an irrational culture with every succeeding generation. Boxing is a stopgap to this trend. This partly explains why so many call for it's abolition, are threatened by it, or just can't understand it -is it boxing that is alien to them or is it something deeper? I suspect that it is. I suspect that the modern man is fast becoming an alien to himself.

This content is protected

In sum, I love boxing because it kept me from becoming a stain on the street, because of its honesty, its intellectual stimulation, its unique ability to temper and channel our baser instincts, and because it reminds me that masculinity still matters.
Click to expand...

Another thoughtful, moving, generous, compelling post by Stonehands. Great!

Robbi · Oct 20, 2008

Robbi said:

Stonehands89 vanishes for a few days, now and then, but always puts effort into his posts. Usually lengthy ones at that.
Click to expand...

And look what happened................

PowerPuncher · Oct 20, 2008

Ok well last night I was taking arguing with Classic posters about boxing over seeing my girlfriend strip for me on webcam, and I really have good chemistry with her

prime · Oct 20, 2008

Boxing has been a lifelong friend and constant companion, a metaphor for life and physically a focal point of motivation to strive for conditioning and discipline that has kept me out of trouble.

Nobody taught me to love boxing. I gravitated toward it as surely as a turtle hatchling rushes to the sea.

I try to watch a few rounds every day.

fists of fury · Oct 21, 2008

My dinner with Conteh said:

1997 Funny you should say that mate. That's around the time my magazine collection started becoming more irregular. I think I remember TBooze saying the same era (95-97). I was still up for certain fights, but I couln't roll off the name of every title holder and top 10 contender like I could in the late 80s and early 90s.
Click to expand...

And it's hard to say why, isn't it? It sort of just happened. In my case diminishing television coverage played a part, but I was slowly losing interest anyway.

On the other hand, I still get giddy when 'discovering' a fighter. It happened a few years ago with me when I 'discovered' Rocky Marciano.

Of course I had known about him for years as well as the big moments of his career, but once I got down to the nitty-gritty and started doing some real research, I became more and more fascinated with him. I used to dismissively label him overrated and that was that, but upon viewing the full first Walcott fight, I became more interested. Glad I did too.

Fighters for me have always had a larger than life quality about them.
So while I may no longer be obssessed, from time to time I make a concerted effort to learn something new about certain fighters, and it's usually worth the trouble.

I'm still waiting for some notable contributors to this forum to chip in with their stories.

Log in or Sign up

Question For The Classic Posters......

teeto Obsessed with Boxing banned

Chinxkid Well-Known Member Full Member

Robbi Marvelous Full Member

PowerPuncher Loyal Member Full Member

prime BOX! Writing Champion Full Member

fists of fury Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

Log in or Sign up

Forums

Question For The Classic Posters......

teeto Obsessed with Boxing banned

Chinxkid Well-Known Member Full Member

Robbi Marvelous Full Member

PowerPuncher Loyal Member Full Member

prime BOX! Writing Champion Full Member

fists of fury Obsessed with Boxing Full Member