Boxing Myths: The Great White Hoax

Racial undercurrents roll uneasily beneath American society.

Boxing, of course has the same fiery fault lines. But it shouldn't.

In the ring people couldn't be more equal. Fists do the talking, the less fit do the walking.

Boxing itself is older than the Argo.

In the mythic tale of Jason and the Argonauts, Polydeuces and his twin brother Castor were Greek heroes. Polydeuces killed a king in the ring during a stop along their sea voyage. After the twins' untimely demise, Zeus made them immortal by placing them in the sky as the Gemini, the Twins. The stars are named for Polydeuces and Castor.

Boxers do have a place in the stars forever.

The Twins' lovely sister Helen later launched lots of ships when she sneaked off to Troy with a swinging suitor.

Polydeuces is considered the mythical founder of boxing and his story is the oldest written reference to the sport.

The Great White Hope, a money marketing dream, is also a myth.

Great boxers come from all colors. Great boxers come from a demographic group that's struggling or recently immigrated and adjusting to American society. Great boxers come from poverty, or at least circumstances where survival is not always easy or always pleasant.

Slackers can't be great boxers. Middle class folks might make great football, baseball, or basketball players, but seldom great fighters.

Recently we have seen a string of good boxers emerge from Eastern Europe, Latin America, Mexico, and Africa. They come from places where life ain't easy and the future's not that bright.

In America many folks living lean still have food, television, and a shot at school. The conditions from which some of these boxers emerge all around the world would be unimaginable to most Americans. 

And so those folks fight. They fight to survive, sometimes in literally war-torn lands.

Emmanuel Stewart said the fighters from Eastern Europe do so well because when he says roadwork at 7:00 AM, the Eastern European boxers are there at 5:00 AM ready to rock and roll. Some of his American guys show up at 9:00 AM ready to stroll.

Fast food, reality TV, and video games do not make great fighters.

Sometimes after winning a title, the good life turns even great champs soft. But to be soft before the title trial trail even begins is a very bad thing.

Each immigrant group that has come to America has produced great fighters as they struggle to assimilate to American society.

The Irish had some early, great champs in John L Sullivan, Jim Corbett, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Billy Conn, and Mickey Walker.

From New York City's Jewish ghettos the great Benny Leonard, Barney Ross, and Battling Levinsky sallied forth swinging.

Rocky Marciano, Carmine Basilio, Rocky Graziano, and Jake LaMotta, all from families that were recent Italian immigrants, fought their way to the top

Great boxers and thriving gangsters sometimes emerge from the same demographic. They share some similar traits. Both have to battle brutally, have to fight to thrive and survive as the key one.

The era of the Jewish, Irish, and Italian boxers was also the era of infamous gangsters of the same ethnic groups.

The Irish in Hell's Kitchen.  Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, and their ilk in New York and Chicago. Meyer Lansky and Ben "Bugsy" Siegel from the Jewish New York ghettos. Fighters and fight fans all.

Sadly, segments of the African American population in America have lived in areas of abject poverty for generations.

From these tough urban streets or poverty-stricken southern fields, great African American boxers like Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, Henry Armstrong, Archie Moore, Ezzard Charles, Sonny Liston, Muhammad Ali, George Foremen, Joe Frazier, and numerous others have emerged to fight with a rage.

Fight with a fever. Fight to survive and thrive.

Boxing is a favorite pastime in many parts of the Latino community. They love their fighters with a passion. And their fighters fight with pride.

The Latino community vigorously backs boxers who travel from their ancestors' homelands to fight in the American squared circles. The link to the homeland is strong and the Latino community is perhaps the most passionate one in supporting boxing.

From diverse locations within US barrios to Mexico, Latin America, and South America, fighters such as Roberto Duran, Carlos Monzon, Julio Cesar Chavez, Alexis Arguello, Salvador Sanchez, and many others  have fought with fire and pride as they strive for a better life. 

As boxing transforms itself with fighters from all around the world gaining titles and fame, perhaps we can lift it up past state and race.

The determination to strive, thrive, and survive is driven by dire circumstances. Desperate circumstances can affect anyone, no matter the color of their skin or their nationality.

That desperate drive makes great fighters. Not nationality. Not race. Nor any myth of a great white hope.

Maybe boxing brings us all up. Maybe boxing is becoming the great global sport.

Sport is a great world hope.

And this old orb needs all the hopes it can grab before the final bell rings.