Religion and boxing. Is it cool or not so much?

[BattlingNelson]

Basically I don't really care, but if it spoils my enjoyment it bothers me. An example is if a fighter is so obsessed with a supreme being that it clouds his vision.

I would have posted the infamous Holyfield interview but Threadstealer has already posted it:

^^^a clear example of clouding of vision. He cannot say anything but God helped me and so on and so forth. How about telling that you prepared for this and that and did such and such? He could have said that God helped me do this and that instead.

As for Ward and others a have no problem in them having a strong faith if it helps them be good rolemodels. But his nickname SOG's.

[odetojoy]

Im from the uk and i find it rather amusing....i can honestly say i dont know anyone who believes in god or a religious icon and when a boxer starts talking about their faith after a fight its normally met with a "for ****s sake......turn the tv over now."

[kenso]

religion is never cool. resulted in too many innocent deaths and sustains large amounts of idiocy throughout the world.

[manmoon]

If Ward or any other boxer believes god has a hand in their victory then its actually pretty amusing. Modern religion is really about what people want and if they get it then its thanks to god.

I'm actually a practicing ******, but I would think that most people would use the opposite argument. For example, if something bad happens to someone who's religious, they might say, "Well, everything happens for a reason. Maybe God wanted me to learn from this experience." Similarly, for people who live difficult lives, religion comforts them by telling them that the afterlife may be better. People who have everything they want/need in life are more likely to let religion fall to the back-burner, I think.

On topic, I don't have a problem with fighters praying in their corner or thanking God. It's actually kind of humbling to see boxers, some of whom are extremely ****y, "admit" that they couldn't have won without God.

[manmoon]

And just to add, I'm pretty sure that no religious fighters (at least those who are even remotely good) believe that they can succeed without hard work.

[Idgas]

the only time it will bother me is during an interview when the fighter gets asked a question and they'll give too much credit to god and very little or none to themselves.

interviewer: so how did you train for this fight?
fighter: it was all god. he gave me the strength to get this victory.
interviewer: did your diet change at all? did you feel you were at 100%?
fighter: god gave me all the nutrients i needed. god me got me through this tonight.
interviewer: who would you like to fight next?
fighter: whoever is meant to fight me, god will put him in front of me.
interviewer: are you religious?

[ummeed]

nothing wrong with what ward does. a real atheist ignores that stuff, not be offended by it.

lmao, so fcking true. i find it hilarious whenever these self proclaimed atheists act like religious militant groups themselves, censoring anything that relates to religion... sounds like denial to me.

i mean c'mon most people are atheists because we can't stand talking about religion... why the hell would you want to keep bringing it up then?

[elhijoprodigo]

I hate all religion as I find them to be pathetic and a major waste of time. But I also know that religion and boxing is a contradiction. I doubt that the thing that "wrote" the ten commandments put no killing, stealing etc but I allow fighting? I also ask myself if when a fighter kills another, do they think "God" gave them the strength to do it, and are they happy with the fact that they just broke one of those commandments?

[cupocity303]

................

[cupocity303]

the only time it will bother me is during an interview when the fighter gets asked a question and they'll give too much credit to god and very little or none to themselves.

interviewer: so how did you train for this fight?
fighter: it was all god. he gave me the strength to get this victory.
interviewer: did your diet change at all? did you feel you were at 100%?
fighter: god gave me all the nutrients i needed. god me got me through this tonight.
interviewer: who would you like to fight next?
fighter: whoever is meant to fight me, god will put him in front of me.
interviewer: are you religious?

Co-Sign.

Answer the ***ing question and stop referencing God in a sports related interview.

I don't mind the occasional first line, "First all I'd like to thanks God for this victory or for both fighters coming out Ok".