I seem to be among the very few here
who appreciate this sport. Yes, I call it
a sport for a very simple reason.
Sport is defined as competition. There is
no purer form of competition than boxing.
Two men, of (arguably) equal skill and size,
facing each other, without added equipment
or advantages. You have nobody else blindsiding
you with a stick, throwing a baseball at your
head at 90+ MPH, trying to break your legs with
an illegal tackle. Just two men, their hands
(except for Tyson’s teeth) - and that’s all.
As a former amateur boxer, I can readily
appreciate the sport as perhaps many cannot.
Believe me when I tell you it is not just brute
force or strength that is required to be a
success (although, these are great attributes !)
You must be 100% dedicated to training and
learning. (The constant training is the major
reason I left the sport at an early age). It
is demanding on the body and the mind and takes
total concentration in order to become anything
more than a human punching bag.
Brutal, yes, most certainly but not any more so
than many of our other so-called ’’acceptable’’
sports. It just isn’t as subtle as the others.
Injuries and deaths unfortunately occur here as
well as in other sports. It only appears more
brutal because it’s two men. No cars, no
teammates, no mobs involved. Just two men.
I have nothing but the utmost respect for these
athletes and the game itself.