The Great White Hope

Besides, living in a free country I would have been fully within my rights to cherry-pick all I want. Don't get upset just because I'm criticizing a favorite sports of yours.

Peace.

I'm not upset, I'm just pointing out the inconsistencies of your generalized comments toward violence and sports-related injuries.

And I've heard American football players being interviewed state things like, "It's my job to hurt someone on the other team, to take them out of the game." Those huge guys on the line aren't there to play grab-ass, they are there to slam their entire body, not just their fist, into the opposing line as hard as they can.
 
rest-of-the-world football (soccer :)) is pretty dangerous as well. my mother was teaching basic maths (multplication, division etc.) to former high level maths students and that was only amateur practice. that's far more unlikely to happen with amateur boxing
 
All the heroes of boxing have long since retired, or been subjected to far too much cranial damage to continue. Either way, the game hasn't been the same since Ward left. It's turned into a rap video, devoid of whatever level of class it used to foster, and more into two men "wit deir street repz strugglin' 4 da powa."

I boxed for eight years and would hardly say it's inhumane. Everyone who steps foot in a ring is well aware of the consequences. That doesn't make any other sports necessarily safer. Every sport imaginable is potentially dangerous on some level, some more than others.

On the topic of Tyson, as schtick his act was, the man used to drop his pants and underwear during weigh ins. That was classic.
 
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My experience on boxing: It helps a lot of kids (and yes, most of them are from the poorer parts of the city) in that it gives them discipline, something to focus on and a sense of purpose in life. It also helps keep them off the streets! This isn't a naive statement that they're all rough diamonds but have hearts of gold. Some kids are just punks and the less access they have to regimented schemes of handing out physical pain the better!

But I did resent a flurry of articles a few years back (mainly in the UK broadsheets) talking about how "I know I shouldn't enjoy boxing... but I do... it's so primal". Maybe these articles, which incidentally I can't find online, were around the time of the Fight Club release. Would make sense.

Actually I'm torn. Poor kids seeing boxing as a way to make money is kind of wrong. You could argue that a government shouldn't allow it. After all prostitution is illegal in many countries. Gah, I dunno where I stand on the issue. Someone give some coherency to my ramblings.

Boxing itself is a fantastic form of self defence - if you want to use hands only. In theory it's not a complicated art but the perfection of the art takes a long time and the right genes. If you've ever seen anyone doing padwork you'll know what I mean. And it's true that it demands the hardest conditioning of professional sport - but only around the time of a fight. We've all seen boxers out of shape when they don't have a fight on the horizon. Oh the shame.

OT: Me and a few friends are backing Ricky. I think. Mayweather is undoubtedly a fine boxer (and not a brawler!) but I think Ricky's power may be enough. Mind you one of these friends of mine lost £200 on De La Hoya.... :(
 
My experience on boxing: It helps a lot of kids (and yes, most of them are from the poorer parts of the city) in that it gives them discipline, something to focus on and a sense of purpose in life. It also helps keep them off the streets! This isn't a naive statement that they're all rough diamonds but have hearts of gold. Some kids are just punks and the less access they have to regimented schemes of handing out physical pain the better!

Anyone who enters boxing purely under the impression they'll make it to the top is delusional. Like any sport, doing it professionally demands the utmost of expertise. Boxing doesn't JUST attract kids living hard-knock lives throughout the ghettos of America, I think a lot of people are under the impression it does. In fact, depending on where you live the charge for actual gym usage and classes isn't gratis, at least mine weren't.

]But I did resent a flurry of articles a few years back (mainly in the UK broadsheets) talking about how "I know I shouldn't enjoy boxing... but I do... it's so primal". Maybe these articles, which incidentally I can't find online, were around the time of the Fight Club release. Would make sense.

That's a little silly on the news' part, in fact it's borderline inflammatory. It'd be like comparing the video game "Carmageddon" to everyday driving experiences. "Fight Club" was about a back alley gathering of individuals involved in near deathmatches, almost neglecting to point out actual boxing consists of rules. Lots of them.

Actually I'm torn. Poor kids seeing boxing as a way to make money is kind of wrong. You could argue that a government shouldn't allow it. After all prostitution is illegal in many countries. Gah, I dunno where I stand on the issue. Someone give some coherency to my ramblings.

Like I said earlier, boxing because you think you'll one day grace the books as the most influential "rags-to-riches" instance in documented history is silly. Sure it happens, but the likelihood of it are just as low as any other sport. I know for a FACT I can't out-drive Tiger Woods. Probably a good 75% of the individuals who begin boxing do it to benefit themselves and nothing more. A lot of women take up boxing for self defense.
 
Sorry old chap - specifically on the "poor kids" I was thinking about where I live in London. Here it is predominantly poor kids. But granted it's a poor area!

And I'm sure most people realise that they're never gonna be a superstar. It wasn't my intention to say that; although reading back it looks like I did. Anyhoo, I know guys who have genuinely wanted a career out of it. Make of that what you will. I'm talking about guys who are training a ridiculous amount out of the day. I guess that's where I was going with my earlier post.

And whilst I'm here... on the "poor" subject. I intermittently use a place in London called Gymbox. Now that doesn't attract the average Joe - purely because it charges upwards of £60 a month. Lots of well-to-do people there who seem as interested in boxing as the next guy/gal.
 
"I wish one of you guys had children so I could kick them in the fucking head or stomp on their testicles so you could feel my pain, 'cause that's the pain that I have." -Mike Tyson

Man, that's so beautiful it's quote worthy, Tyson should have been a wordsmith. :yep2:

The reigning champs of Tyson quotes:

On Razor Ruddock

"You're sweet. I'm going to make sure you kiss me good with those big lips. I'm gonna make you my girlfriend."

And:

"I guess I'm gonna fade into Bolivian."

http://kjkolb.tripod.com/homepage/miketysonquotes.html
 
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