Fighters that began in the Marines

**ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY** · 03-16-2006, 10:33 AM

Being a MARINE (or navy seal, paratrooper, green beret, gang member, police officer, a black belt etc etc) would have no bearing on whether a guy was good at boxing or not

**pr20** · 03-16-2006, 10:37 AM

I think that a lot of people are expesed to Boxing when they get into the military becaseu they have the intramural programs but by then it is pretty late for most of them to develo into top notch guys.

**Shanus** · 03-16-2006, 10:45 AM

Nigel Benn was in some form of military.

**Scottie2Hottie** · 03-16-2006, 10:49 AM

i know gene tunney was a marine, and he kicked some ass back in the day.

**IwatchBoxing** · 03-16-2006, 11:19 AM

Jose Torres was in the U.S. Army, and now

Torres has remained part of boxing although his fighting days ended. He authored a pair of biographies, "Sting Like a Bee" on Muhammad Ali and "Fire and Fear" on Mike Tyson. From 1983 to 1988 he served as chairman of the New York State Boxing Commission and is currently a presiding supervisor for the WBO.

**cmason** · 03-16-2006, 11:41 AM

ray mercer was in the marines.

**MickyHatton** · 03-16-2006, 11:43 AM

Originally posted by ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY

Being a MARINE (or navy seal, paratrooper, green beret, gang member, police officer, a black belt etc etc) would have no bearing on whether a guy was good at boxing or not

I know what your saying John but I disagree slighty.
As ex forces myself the benefits of being a boxer in the forces are huge.
The overall fitness of a soldier is high and maintained high but most importantly if you have an ounce of talent you are in effect removed and paid to be a full time boxer in the amateur enviroment within the forces.
Therefore any talent you have would be given its fullest attention to develop, this would not happen in any other job role.
I myself spent a full 19 months 'living' the life eating, breathing and training all day every day and was paid by the Army to do it, add in to that good food, great facilities and a team of coaches, it really helped.
Where I agree with you though is that the talent has nothing to do with your enviroment you can only build on existing tools, hence I was a very good amateur but dont think I would have acheived anything in the pro ranks!

**ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY** · 03-16-2006, 11:47 AM

FROM MICKEY... I know what your saying John but I disagree slighty. As ex forces myself the benefits of being a boxer in the forces are huge. The overall fitness of a soldier is high and maintained high but most importantly if you have an ounce of talent you are in effect removed and paid to be a full time boxer in the amateur enviroment within the forces

FROM ICE... I respect that of course BUT I have been to many, many amateur tournaments as a coach and as a boxer and I have fought many different men of different backgrounds and HONESTLY the military guys were not any better off in ANY area, including physically, than any other group. Also, Mercer was an ARMY man

**VERDUGO** · 03-16-2006, 11:54 AM

Ray Mercer
Oleg Maskaev--Didn't he used to be in the Russian army?

Fighters that began in the Marines