The Evolution of Sport

But it is also true that all good things come to an end, and often the case that an athlete is unable or unwilling to recognize when this time has arrived. In most sports, the result of this is little more than mild public embarrassment and the slight tarnishing of a reputation. In boxing, however, such lack of insight can range from being dangerous to downright deadly. A fine line exists in the sweet science of pugilism between admirable heroism and a kamikaze mission. The regression of one's reflexes is inevitable, and when a person happens to make a living being punched in the head, it cannot be more crucial that he recognizes when enough is enough. Opponents of boxing consider the sport barbaric and plea for it to be banned. Even those who fully support boxing, despite the numerous legitimate claims of corruption plaguing it, concede its brutality. The ring is no place for the faint of heart or chin, and probably not the healthiest locale for a senior citizen. So eyebrows reasonably raise along with concern for the safety of boxers who for one reason or another, refuse to hang up their gloves.

In the past couple of weeks I witnessed or read about the following events. Julio Cesar Chavez, inexplicably given a number one rating and therefore made the mandatory challenger for a title shot, was beaten and bruised with relative ease by a far younger, stronger and quicker opponent. One can only hope that the bout took more of a toll on the ego of Chavez than on his health. While channel flipping, I came across 41-year old Tony Tucker getting manhandled by a 20-something fighter trying to make a name for himself at the expense of a former champ. Just the other day while once again roaming with my remote, I caught an interview with George Foreman. Although his main objective was to pitch his grilling machine, when the subject came up, Foreman did not laugh away the notion of fighting again. To the contrary, he said that he was willing and even anxious to step into the ring once more if the money and situation were right for him. Perhaps he said this just to sell a few more grills. Perhaps not. If he was being truthful, he would just be rejoining a long line of boxers who earnestly believed, usually falsely, that they had one more

Go To Page: 1 2 3