Joe Louis’ Finale With Rocky Marciano
SHOULD LAWS APPLY TO FIGHTERS?
Liberty, NC– I take the Declaration of Independence very seriously, and I especially hold dear the second sentence which states: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
DOES LESS GOVERNMENT APPLY WHEN IT COMES TO FIGHTERS?
The Professor believes that “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” gives one the right to be “stupid” if they so choose. For example, I believe it is a good idea to wear seat belts when driving, but I do not think it is the Federal or State Government officials have a place to tell me I have to do so (I know that many disagree, and that’s OK, that’s what makes the world go round). I’m just big on individual rights and freedoms.
EUROPEAN CHAMP MAKES BERNARD YOUNG AT 46
We have had discussions about mandatory retirement ages for professional boxing for years. Yet, we have Steve Ward from the United Kingdom fighting back on March 19, 2011, won the European Boxing Federation cruiserweight (200 lbs) title at the age 54. The Guinness Book of World Records at that 2011 date to be the “Oldest Active Boxer in the World.”
PROFESSOR NEARLY ALL ALONE ON THE “OLD GUYS”
Of course we have heard no retirement plans from Bernard Hopkins, who will be 47 this year, or from Roy Jones who will 43, nor from soon to be 49 year old Evander Holyfield. Now, I still believe that if any fighter can pass the physical, then they should be allowed to fight. However, I recently ran across something that made a lot of sense to me about when its time to hang up the gloves.
REMEMBER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP JAMES J. BRADDOCK?
After losing the World heavyweight championship to Joe Louis, James J. Braddock had one more fight. He won a ten round decision against Tommy Farr in New York City on January 21, 1938. Ten days later, Braddock retired. In his retirement speech, written up in a major sports periodical dubbed, “Blue Ribbon Sports,” James J. used the following metaphor of home and family to explain his reasoning for retirement:
POIGNANT WORDS FROM BRADDOCK HIMSELF
When a man builds a house, he stops when the house is finished, and it is, finished only when he cannot improve on it anymore. This house I have built is not the greatest that any boxer has built, but it is finished. There is nothing that I could do to improve it.”
EVERY COMPETITOR SHOULD FOLLOW THE BRADDOCK PHILOSOPHY
Deep and insightful verbiage from one of the greatest underdogs the world of pugilism has ever seen, words that would do well for any practitioner of the manly art of self defense to pay heed to.
Professor Chuck Marbry