Generally, most people are good natured. The majority of folks out there would stop and help someone in trouble on the street. They would give change to the poor Vietnam veteran, and they would break up a fight between a couple of middle school kids. By ourselves, as a single unit, we are prepared to do well and be an example to our society.
As a group, we are a pack of wild hungry wolves. We will tear to pieces those very same people we would try to help before. We become violent, explosive, and unpredictable.
Looking back in history, we can surely remember some groups of people who made a mark on society and on the press, such as the Black Panthers and the Hell’s Angels. We all know who they are, and why they were so “famous.”
But notice this: it’s the violent individuals who made the big splash. There are too many to mention, but the individuals are always covered more. We like hear about one person causing havoc, and what all kinds of psychologists and analysts come up with about them and their reasons.
The above mentioned reason is exactly why we like the sport of boxing. Following a team is different than following an individual. You get more details and more emotions emitting from one source than scattered from many.
When we pick our favorite boxer, we can know everything we want about him. We learn his tactics, his familial relationships, his likes and dislikes, and can even predict their next move. When they speak, they speak for themselves and not for the team. When they screw up, we know exactly where to direct our anger and blame.
We start to like a certain fighter for his style. Looking at Mike Tyson, he was loved for his acute violent tendencies. People just couldn’t wait to see what he does in the ring and what he will say after knocking out that poor bastard. Muhammad Ali was a clever but brutal conversationalist, and people were attracted to his personality. James Toney could offend anyone and everyone, and we loved it.
Those boxers have certain skills to excite us into one singe pack. They can walk up there on the podium, spit some fire, and start a blaze. We are the blaze. And then, at that point, we no longer want the sweet science of boxing: we want a brutal, bloody, embarrassing knockout, with the loser falling through the ropes onto the judge’s table.
Why do we want this? So we can say: “I knew he will do it again, this guy is a total monster. I can’t wait to see him fight Mayweather Jr.!”
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