What Happened to Pinklon Thomas ?

I had a good spur-of-the-moment plan (he literally just showed up at the gym and asked if anyone wanted to go a light round or two) — move a lot and use my right (southpaw) to parry his jab. Anything to avoid that jab.

Not a heck of a lot happened most of the round — worked my way inside a time or two and landed a few inconsequential body shots, he got a jab or two through but hit on the forehead of my headgear so no big deal (although it was a heavy jab, and certainly he wasn’t throwing full force).

Then late in the round I got cocky and blocked his jab down and jabbed over it and I saw clearly that I hit him right on the left eyeball — he didn’t get his eye closed. Then he blinked and his expression said ‘good one, now I’m going to get serious here.’

I’m proudest that my instinct was ‘OK, hell’s coming to breakfast so I better get my best shot in’ and threw my best straight left — even though it missed and he countered. At least I didn’t say ‘run and avoid him the last 15-30 seconds of the round.

The body shot completely deflated me and the shot to the jaw was about as hard as I ever got hit but I didn’t buckle. Fortunately the bell rang right after.

 

Pinklon later on became a youth drugs counsellor in Florida. He had never applied for a job before and had no resume. So he showed up to the interview in his boxing trunks, robe and WBC green belt. He shadow boxed and told them stories about his tough life and problems with drugs. Pinkon got the job.

The kids called him Mr Pink and he made the kids run laps with him around a track at the facility. He told them he ran slow but long, he would start with all the kids and only 1-2 could last the distance with him. He made a big difference. "He would tell the kids, if you can tell me one positive thing that comes from taking drugs I will lick concrete right now". Pinklon said that the kids loved his stories about fighting Mike Tyson and it was always one way he could get through to them.

Pinklon also ran amateur boxing programs in Orlando and Antonio Tarver was one of the young kids that went through this.

 

I read his autobiography and he was hooked on heroin from his early teens until after he retired. He eventually beat it and has lived a healthy life and accepted the Lord as his savior.

 

In their respective primes, Larry Holmes vs Pinklon Thomas would have been a great fight.

 

It's good to see Pinky can talk trash with the best of them. Even a cursory glance shows the break was about 2 minutes.

 

Thomas was old before his time.
Look at him at 24, 25, he looks about 40 and fights like a fighter in his mid-30s.
By the time he was 30 he fought like a 40 year old fighter and looked 45 at least.

Heroin addiction at a young age will do that to a person.

 

In many of the fights I’ve seen, he looks sluggish. Just stands swaying in front of his opponent and not throwing much. I remember watch him fight Tyson and he actually gave a decent account of himself. All time great chin. Seemed to be moving in quicksand in later fights. No reflexes at all.

 

Heroin happened to Pinky. That's what happened.

 

He's not that bad.

 

I’ve always been fascinated by how many and what kind of punches Mike Tyson needed to bring down Pinklon Thomas.

 

Drugs

 

He looks quite good in this one vs an in shape and motivated Witherspoon who simply doesn't have enough answers -

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Weed is orders of magnitude less harmful on the body than alcohol, cocaine, etc. I mean, no drug is good for you, but smoking a little weed at night is not going to ruin your sleep or wreck your body the next day like drinking would.

 

Weed steals motivation from athletes...

 

I'm not saying it's good. It isn't. Nothing is, except maybe a bit of coffee or tea. But, it is a world apart from alcohol, let alone other things.

Stay up until midnight, getting drunk - totally useless the next day, mentally and physically. Only gets worse the older you get.
Stay up until midnight, getting high - you slept well. Age isn't relevant. You're fine the next day.

I am not speaking as someone without experience. I've alternatively had both of those demons on my shoulders, and weed is a ****ing strawweight compared to alcohol, which is like a Fury sized HW in comparison.

Just saying.