by David P. Greisman - Certain fighters are paired together in this sport’s history because of what was given — brutal entertainment delivered between Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward, Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.
Other fighters end up with a combined entry in our memories because of what was taken.
Last week brought tributes in honor of Emile Griffith, who died at 75 and who was remembered for the championships he won at welterweight, junior middleweight and middleweight, for the speculation about his sexual orientation, and for the fact that a remark on his sexuality had preceded the death of one of his opponents.
We cannot remember Griffith without also recalling Benny “Kid” Paret, who had called Griffith a “maricon” — a Spanish slur used against ****sexual men. Griffith punched Paret defenseless and kept punching, knocking him out and delivering the injuries from which he would never recover and never wake.
This is a blood sport, but it is not a heartless one. The rules introduced by the Marquess of Queensberry about 150 years ago have been amended over the generations, making boxing safer without removing the elements that captivate us. This is still a violent enterprise, but it is a skillful one. [Click Here To Read More]
Other fighters end up with a combined entry in our memories because of what was taken.
Last week brought tributes in honor of Emile Griffith, who died at 75 and who was remembered for the championships he won at welterweight, junior middleweight and middleweight, for the speculation about his sexual orientation, and for the fact that a remark on his sexuality had preceded the death of one of his opponents.
We cannot remember Griffith without also recalling Benny “Kid” Paret, who had called Griffith a “maricon” — a Spanish slur used against ****sexual men. Griffith punched Paret defenseless and kept punching, knocking him out and delivering the injuries from which he would never recover and never wake.
This is a blood sport, but it is not a heartless one. The rules introduced by the Marquess of Queensberry about 150 years ago have been amended over the generations, making boxing safer without removing the elements that captivate us. This is still a violent enterprise, but it is a skillful one. [Click Here To Read More]
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