Post-career. Thoughts?

[Ben Bolt]

How do you relate to boxers' post-career lives, and the sport of boxing itself.

E.g., we discuss the greatness of Joe Louis, SRR and Ali when they were in their prime, but rarely
what happened to them when they hang up their gloves. Their success between the ropes came
with a high price. Not to mention all these no. 1 challengers (or every other hopeful pugilist), who
failed to achieve a title, and fell into oblivion, facing a rough life when the spotlights went out.

We all hope for a healthy old age. At the same time, we’re aware of, that numerous boxers who
entertain us for the moment, will be deprived of it. Because we know, that blows to the head
damages a human.

[QueensburyRules]

- -Most of Joe's problems were from the IRS in spite of donating a couple of purses to local charities during the WW2 and serving honorably during the draft. He did have a stint with cocaine after retirement, but that seems to have been temporary. Don't know if there was ever a definitive bio on Joe...anyone?

Most of Ali and SRR financial problems were those of a spendthrift combined with the physical and mental dissipation after long careers.

[Zaroku]

I’d like to think they go off with a hot wife, and never look back.

[billeau2]

I think our souls are given a choice: Either take care of yourself, don't strive for too much, look the other way when danger is present and be careful! Never do anything risky and perhaps you can live a long healthy life.

Or, go for it! Be a meat eater and when you sense danger, get in there and defend! Enjoy risk and reward, accept accidents... use that body up! so by the time you meet your maker the joints are ground to bone dust, the organs are signaling "Danger Will Robinson!" Strive for high ideals and be willing to die young.

I can relate to fighters... I never was one, but I fought a lot, and banged around the mats a lot, and did crazy things a lot... But I have no regrets. My body is so arthritic now from years of kicking, slamming, getting slammed, my fingers look like they grew out in different directions, having been dislocated so many times... I have slash and burn marks up my arms from being a chef, and facial scars from fighting... But I accomplished things and would not trade it. I imagine boxers probably feel the same way.

I believe Ray Robinson once said he had no regrets about the high times.

[QueensburyRules]

- -What would Commander Vander say after tonight?

[Ben Bolt]

I spent some time, checking out on forgotten names that I followed in the 80s,
guys who reached top ten but who never were top five.

It wasn’t pleasant reading, but it seemed like a lot of them had kind of self-destructive
personalities, so I guess that if boxing hadn’t destroyed them early in life, something else had.

[Martcostan]

Therefore, I am always saying that young athletes and actors are obliged to think about the future and get an education in an interesting field. It is important to understand that years later, the bright career of an athlete is on the decline, and he needs to realize his ambitions in everyday life. For example, my son was professionally engaged in reggae, but I insisted that he also receive an education in addition to rugby. We found a great website on the Internet and chose the best college for Michael. The website will help you achieve your goals and find the best school when you can't do it yourself. And this is very important even for those who have been earning sums with six zeros since their youth.

[Ivich]

- -Most of Joe's problems were from the IRS in spite of donating a couple of purses to local charities during the WW2 and serving honorably during the draft. He did have a stint with cocaine after retirement, but that seems to have been temporary. Don't know if there was ever a definitive bio on Joe...anyone?

Most of Ali and SRR financial problems were those of a spendthrift combined with the physical and mental dissipation after long careers.

Louis' two donated purses were to the Army ^Navy WW2 Relief Funds.
Joe Louis' autobiography ," My Life" is very good.I also haveJ oe Louis Black Champion by Richard Bak.Joe Louis byRandy Roberts ,and Joe Louis by Joe Louis Jnr.

[Ivich]

I spent some time, checking out on forgotten names that I followed in the 80s,
guys who reached top ten but who never were top five.

It wasn’t pleasant reading, but it seemed like a lot of them had kind of self-destructive
personalities, so I guess that if boxing hadn’t destroyed them early in life, something else had.

Former editor of The Boxing News Tris Dixon wrote a book.The Road To Nowhere, about the boxers such as Harold Johnson, Saad Muhammad,etc its interesting,but not easy reading.

[GhostofDempsey]

These fighters accepted a risk when they laced up the gloves. It's very unfortunate that many of them end up with trauma related brain damage that effects their cognitive ability later on. When you consider that most fighters get into the sport in their youth, we all know that most young people see themselves as ten feet tall and bullet proof. When they are in their 20's they aren't thinking about how many punches they'll take until they hang up the gloves and what their mental state might be in the 60's and beyond. A lot of them enter the sport from poverty, and once they get their first taste of success, they squander their fortunes and end up broke. No one teaches them how to manage that sort of money and fame. They get ripped off by managers, promoters, accountants, lawyers, and the parasites they surround themselves with in their entourages. Boxers don't have teammates or unions to support them or represent their best interests. It takes a lot of inner discipline outside of the ring to avoid the common pitfalls of most boxers post-retirement.