GAS DOWN TO $1.55 A GALLON, YET NOBODYS DRIVING
San Francisco, CA– In the Depression era of the 1930s, milk was seven cents a gallon and people couldnt afford it. While dire financial times have been bad for the nation, and the world for that matter, a bad financial situation domestically could be the best thing to happen to boxing since the 1930s. If you look at the ethnic groups that fight for a living, Mexicans, Filipinos, places like Russia, Eastern Europe, Africa, these are areas where people have hunger that goes beyond the dinner table.
LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE FOLKS? , The Russkies are a classic example. When youre paid 19 cents a week, wipe your butt with a rock, and you have a choice of either working for the 19 cents or getting into the gym and boxing, youd be surprised how many guys that will try and fight their way out of squalor. In the 30s, there were Jews, Italians, Irishman, and of course the African-American boxer, the bad times induced these groups to punch for pay, all this made for a good run of professional prizefighting.
CRACK & THE GOOD LIFE HURT BOXING
Crack cocaine, I estimate that this cheap form of smoke-able cocaine took away a generation or two of African-American fighters. Then there was the loss of national television, the Internet, the good economic times, these helped sour blacks on the hard work that equates with boxing success.
WHITE AMERICA NEED TAKE NOTE TOO!
But faced with making $8 to $10 bucks an hour, thats if you can find a job, these bad economic times could send a plethora of American men into gyms all across the country.
Pedro Fernandez
Note: Mr. Fernandez is an award-winning writer, TV commentator, radio talk show host, former San Francisco Policeman and four-time Golden Gloves champion. Comments regarding this submission can be left below.