Was just discussing this with a friend of mine and came to the conclusion that boxing has to be one of the most tragic sports out there. Some examples: Sugar Ray Robinson falling top Alzeimer's and dying a shell of he man he was. Muhammad Ali sustaining Parkinson's and becoming a shell of the man he was. Joe Louis falling to the tax man and working as a casino porter in his latter days. Bernard Mayes becoming an alcoholic and never achieving his potential before dying young. Salvador Sanchez dying in a car accident aged 23. Edwin Valero killing his wife and then himself at the age of 27. Lazlo Papp being pulled from the sport for political reasons as he was hitting his prime (not tragic but a different type of example). Wilfred Benitez falling to alcoholism and mental health and was done at the age of 23. Benny 'kid' Paret being killed in the ring. Gerald McClellan being seriously injured for the rest of his life in the ring. Other notable names: Billy Collins Jnr Stanley Ketchel Arturo Gatti Darren Sutherland Freddie Mills Vernon Forest Alexis Arguello Jimmy Wilde The list goes on. So why do you think it is that boxers over the years have seemed to have a torrid time of things over other professions. Obviously getting hit in the head for a living explains the in ring injuries and deaths but what about the outside factors like Valero, Benitez, Ketchel etc - are they victims of the sport or is it more a case of the mentality of some people who box (i.e rough childhoods, living in tough areas, lesser education etc- all factors for many boxers but not all of course) Or am I off here and it just seems worse due to the fact it is publicised more. Discuss
Firstly i don't think it can be down to one thing it's based around various aspects. Many of the names mentioned there have physical issues that i'd say would of come from in the ring work. With regards to fighters and money, these guys are mostly working class guys who never had a pot to **** in. Like today's footballers they get a poundnote for first time in life they can spend it without care and it leads to excessive spending. People leech to them and these guys often like to be liked. They end up falling into those traps and trusting the wrong people. It's a lonely sport and having people care for you or you think they do is nice from there POV. Some working class lads are different and pug money away for a rainy day but they need good people around them or be very level headed. The sport will have more travesty's because it's a sport that for all it's beauty and grace is still violence. Now matter what music you play on a highlight reel and how elegant someones grace is when a man is taking punches to head day after day, year after year it will cause damage. There's many sad stories in all sports, the amount of pressure boxers are under it leads to depression. Many top sportsmen and women have to deal with it nowadays. In a sport like boxing it's magnified due to the pride and machismo. I'd say it's tragic on more levels then other sports yes but that's what makes these guys a special breed. Lets face it when we go shows, look how many fans a fighter will get at his fight in a small hall or undercard say 80-120. Now does he know all of them? not really half the time it's the usual 'he's my mate!' crap when really the fighter only knows him through someone else and hardly spoken to him. When that fighter wins he's the toast of the town but when his career doesn't amount to much he's a nobody and people don't care for all the entertainment he put on. I heard a certain fighter from yorkshire was ripped off by his own manager for thousands and that's on good authority. The person who ripped the young man off is still within the sport i hear....
Boxing has become the sport of the working class. So by default it will have more than its fair share of tragedy. That is to a point, an attraction, the beauty of the sport. Generally anyone who becomes a star, has not had it easy...
It's a short, brutal career all right. And there aren't too many natural post career boxing related roles outside of training fighters. It seems like many boxers will be risk takers, which might explain the high incidence of road deaths (did you miss out Diego Corrales?)
The amount of former stars (especially Brits) who are dabbling with drugs is ridiculous: Bruno, Hatton, Calzaghe. Then there's Naz's problems, Gary Mason, II, Booth brothers, the list goes on
Yeah I missed out Corrales, Monzon, Johnson and a whole host of others, its seems boxing rarely has happy endings.
I think what makes it shocking and more tragic is how we see them in the public light. Strong toned athletes who seem that they are feared by many, but due to these tragic moments happening, as mentioned in the OP time and time again a boxers mental frailty is so apparent these days. It won't stop unfortunately and the more years I am engrossed in boxing the less I am surprised (unfortunately) by these stories.
I really became a fan in the 90s with two of my favourites being Terry Norris and Meldrick Taylor. They were skilled, articulate athletes making multiple millions with the world at their feet. To see them now, mumbling and slurring is heart breaking and demonstrates what a horrible game this can be. If those two had chosen any other sport (Norris was an excellent baseball player) no doubt they'd be living much happier, more fulfilled lives right now.
Its always good when you hear guys like Lewis and Leonard doing well after retirement. But happy endings seem to be rare this is true. You wonder how guys who've recently retired will handle it.
