What does it take to be a boxing writer?

[Slyboots]

hes obsessed with arturo gatti. hes biased. hes ignorant. hes fat..etc

You bring up one good point with him being biased. He tends to show bias, I won't deny that, but all those other reasons you posted are just ****ing idiotic. He's ignorant, eh? Care to explain that one? And what does him being fat have to do with anything?

[jtiger777]

write something against floyd mayweather and in the article talk good about pac and post it all over the net

[Walker Smiff]

Well, well.... I've encountered a by the book douche bag, look outside of the box my man.

You don't have to have a degree to be a good writer. Doctors put bodies back together and fighters train to dismantle them. A writer simply puts words together to inform the reader or to create a picture in their minds. It's just the same as art. I never went to college for it, never even had a class yet I can create things that some of the all mighty degree holders could never imagine. I took what I learned in highschool and continued in my own "study" of it. I've grown through the years just as any writer with knowledge of the english language and CREATIVE mind can. Not having a degree may make you undesirable in the business world but it in no way means that you can not write or create. And as for your professors, in my time in college I found them very hard to communicate with outside of their daily lectures. Either you have the creative talent to do it or you don't. A degree will not neccesarily mean you have the creativity....Rockin'

Sure, its possible one can master the english language w/o a degree, but the time it takes to achieve it is 3x longer, so the likelihood of it becoming probable are two different stories. Nothing simple about tone, style, punctuation, non-basic words, etc.

No disrespect, but a ****** could make something that would "wow" a professor. Maybe they were being nice. Maybe your communication problem w/your professors is your fault or maybe they suck.

Degree = training

[Pessimistic]

Yeah, I do respect Pac more than Mayweather. But, he can't rival Floyd's boxing skills. I think it's like what Humphrey Bogart (I think) said, "Your good kid real good see but as long as I'm around you'll always be second best."

[Mr. Fantastic]

You should of answered your own question after reading a Ronnie Nathanielz article.

[Pessimistic]

Yeah, I respect Manny more than Mayweather. But I'm a realist I know that he can't rival Floyd's boxing skills.

[edgarg]

When I wanted to write I just went down to the gym and asked the guy if we could sit and talk so I could write up an article when they finish working out.

Having grown up fighting with alot of these guys it was easy but even the guys that I didn't know were gracious and willing to talk abit.

I remember early I made wrote a piece about Henry Akinwande, what a gentle giant he was. Super nice guy. I wrote and interviewed Marlon Thomas and Oba Carr out of Kronk and when I was down there Joe Louis Manley had agreed to an interview but that one fell through. I even got invited over former featherweight titlist Tom "Boom Boom" Johnsons house where we talked and watched tapes and discussed writing his biography. That fell through when he got upset when I used the term African American.

Just go out there and get in the mix. Find a gym and start watching what goes on. Talk to the owner or manager of the gym and tell him of your intentions and why you are there. Be up front and honest and you will find that most of these fighters are very gentle and kind people after the final bell sounds, be it after a fight or just a work out.

Some places may kick you out but others might welcome you day after day. If you want to do it just do it............Rockin'

JUst a question about your interview with Boom-Boom Johnson. Why did he get upset when you used the term "African-American"? We are instructed to refer to black people with that term these days.

As I was growing up we used to refer to black people as "negros". As I grew older I learned that that was what they were, it just meant "black" in several different languages. But later it seemed to become a "no-no". I have no idea why. Maybe you can explain it to me.

I, myself, and people of my race were referred to in FAR more uncomplimentary terms, with real viciousness behind them. Still are today. But we never passed it on to others.

Send me a private note if you prefer. I'd appreciate it as it has always puzzled me.

[edgarg]

Usually, writers have a degree in English. I would start there!

Many aspiring writers have NO degrees but wanting to, and beginning to write, give them the desire and incentive to get the degree the poster is talking about.

Of course, if you have one before you begin, that enlarges your horizon from the beginning.

[johnm is...]

You don't have to have a degree in journalism, but it certainly doesn't hurt.

And if we're talking about the big time, you're probably going to have to spend quite a few years writing about many other things, that you're not near as interested in. Even with a degree, it's not very likely that you're going to dive right in as a boxing writer. Or a sports writer period, for that matter.

I would say.... start a site (or a blog), and write your own things. Post your writings everywhere that will allow it. Word of mouth is a beautiful thing. And find a hook. Something that sets you apart from everyone else that's trying to do the exact same thing that you're doing.

[edgarg]

hes obsessed with arturo gatti. hes biased. hes ignorant. hes fat..etc

Obsessed with Arturo Gatti?? Really??. I don't read him so never knew. How the hell could anyone be obsesssed with Arturo Gatti?? What was there about him apart from a capacity to soak up punishment to "obsess" about??

When he was younger and in the much lighter weights he was exciting to watch, a crowd favourite, but so were and are hundreds of others that have ALL come ....and gone. Like Arturo Gatti, although in a far more respectable way.