To break the cycle of violence....

[raskat]

I wanna try to be a little bit philosophical now. Look deeper into the sport of boxing. We all know most boxers came from a troubled background and a crappy childhood. Many of them got beaten as kids and/or abused in one way or the other. Or they were bullied and learned to defend themselves. Then I hear people like Bernard Hopkins say "he became who he is against all odds". He likes to say that he "turned his life around in prison". And that's when I start to think about what is true and what is not true. Did Hopkins really defy the odds? Because a real "winner" is somebody who breaks the cycle of violence. At least in my opinion.
Basically Hopkins is killing or trying to kill other human beings now inside a ring. Before prison he was doing the violence "illegally" outside of the ring. Not just Hopkins, so many others: Tyson, Bobby Chacon, Rocky Graziano, Rocky Marciano and many many others who later become "Hall of fame boxers".
Society allows violence inside a ring and pays both fighters sometimes lots of money so they try to kill each other.
I watch boxing just like all of you. But sometimes I think to myself- "is a guy like Bernard Hopkins really a winner in life?". According to society and the boxing community he probably is a "big winner". But he still carries all that hate and anger inside of him which he has since his youth and tries to focus all his aggression on a (random) opponent inside a squared circle. Legally, not illegally anymore. But in my opinion, violence is still violence.
I am not trying to downplay all the discipline, the diet, the struggle a boxer goes through. But there is a big part in me that doesn't believe guys like Bernard Hopkins when they say "I defied the odds".

[DLT]

its a sport, point blank, period. Boxing has kept alot of youths off the streets and out of trouble. It definetly can be a positive thing. Not only that but good sportsman ship goes along with it. Floyd might do all the trash talking in the world but he's the 1st to congragulate his opponent and talk highly of him after the fact. Even good friends have squared off. Its a sport. Alot of guys like Mosley would never ever get into a fight outside the ring no matter what you said to him.

[Light_Speed]

Society allows violence inside a ring and pays both fighters sometimes lots of money so they try to kill each other.
I watch boxing just like all of you. But sometimes I think to myself- "is a guy like Bernard Hopkins really a winner in life?". According to society and boxing community he probably is a "big winner". But he still carries all that hate and anger inside of him which he has since his youth and tries to focus all his aggression on a (random) opponent inside a squared circle. Legally, not illegally anymore. But in my opinion, violence is still violence.

They don't try to kill each other, they try to knock each other out and sometimes deaths occur. But it's ok, they know the risks involved and they get paid to do it. If you think violence is bad then why do you watch boxing? Why do you even post on this forum? Hopkns defied the odds because he was supposed to go in and out of jail and live a life of crime and poverty, now he's a legend and a self made millionaire.

[raskat]

They don't try to kill each other, they try to knock each other out and sometimes deaths occur. But it's ok, they know the risks involved and they get paid to do it. If you think violence is bad then why do you watch boxing? Why do you even post on this forum? Hopkns defied the odds because he was supposed to go in and out of jail and live a life of crime and poverty, now he's a legend and a self made millionaire.

I dont know why I watch boxing. I like defence more than a big knockout. I cant tell why I watch it, but I never punched a human being in the face. I might do it if somebody threatens me or my family, but I couldnt just punch a random person in the mouth who has done nothing to me.
Yeah Hopkins is a legend and a millionaire. I mentioned in my first post that I wasnt talking about what society says, I say what is really true. The fact that Hopkins "made it" according to society doesnt mean he did the right thing in life. Know what I mean? Angels get killed in this world, innocents get ****d and thieves become rich. Becoming rich doesnt mean that you did the right thing in life.

[Light_Speed]

I dont know why I watch boxing. I like defence more than a big knockout. I cant tell why I watch it, but I never punched a human being in the face. I might do it if somebody threatens me or my family, but I couldnt just punch a random person in the mouth who has done nothing to me.
Yeah Hopkins is a legend and a millionaire. I mentioned in my first post that I wasnt talking about what society says, I say what is really true. The fact that Hopkins "made it" according to society doesnt mean he did the right thing in life. Know what I mean? Angels get killed in this world, innocents get ****d and thieves become rich. Becoming rich doesnt mean that you did the right thing in life.

I can tell you why you watch it, you like watching guys punch each other in the face, preferably in a highly technical manner. You're judging a man for participating in a violent sport that you enjoy watching. Hypocrite much?

And he didn't become rich by stealing or manipulating people, he built his fortune with his fists, through hard work and discipline. He's not just rich, he lives a healthy life, doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, has a family and provides for them. Can you say the same?

[raskat]

And he didn't become rich by stealing or manipulating people, he built his fortune with his fists, through hard work and discipline. He's not just rich, he lives a healthy life, doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, has a family and provides for them. Can you say the same?

I can say the same. Only difference is I am not rich (but rich enough to make my family happy) and I drink maybe one beer a week. And I dont make my money by punching other human beings in the face. And I work hard enough in my opinion.

[mushahadeen]

I know boxers always say "boxing has helped me with discipline so I don't get into fights outside the ring anymore, etc. it helps control my aggression outside the ring blah blah blah..."

But that's because they're rich and they have too much to lose now.

Every single douchebag at my gym thinks he' a hardass now because he knows how to box or MMA. Like now that they can put you in a armbar they're even more likely to start a fight than they were before.

They've turned skinny kids that used to get picked on into angry guys that want to start fights constantly.

[Light_Speed]

I can say the same. Only difference is I am not rich (but rich enough to make my family happy) and I drink maybe one beer a week. And I dont make my money by punching other human beings in the face. And I work hard enough in my opinion.

But you enjoy watching guys punch each other in the face so they provide entertainment for you but you're still judging them. Do you see how much of a hypocrite you are?

[Ryn0]

They are a winner, statistically alot of these guys that are brought up this way end up in prison, in the drug trade or dead. They aren't offered the opportunities that others are so sometimes the only way to escape is education (which lets be honest in these areas is poor so it requires someone that beyond hard working) or sport.

Hopkins doesn't try and kill people in the ring. Its a sport, where you aim to knock someone out end of not kill them. He's a self made millionaire and he has broken the cycle. His kids will be brought up in an environment where they are afforded opportunities Hopkins wasn't, they won't have to fight their way to prosperity.

[-jose-]

The one that deserves all the credit in making a
criminal into a successful boxer is the
person who found and believed on this
certain person, then I credit the boxer.

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