in the ring. He enjoyed beating opponents senseless. Hence, when he was on a card, he filled seats ...... because the crowds watching boxing are convinced they are entitled to bloodshed as they bought a ticket. My son would lighten up on hurt opponents, and encourage the referee (or the opponent's corner) to stop fights to protect their fighter.
When I fought, I wasn't the biggest, the strongest, the fastest, or the hardest puncher. But I always considered myself the smartest. I did have two of the four fastest knockouts in the AAU in NYS for years, though I have no interest in that type of thing now. At age 13, a British journalist did a feature story on me in Boxing Illustrated, as I had over 50 straight knockouts. Looking back, I wasn't that smart -- one night, one of our friends died in the ring. On the ride home from Syracuse, I was thinking, "Poor Frank," but not connecting that both my brother and I fought in the same ring that night. I suppose 15-year old boys are not noted for insight.
All of my kids grew up assuming that Rubin Carter was their uncle. (And Chief Waterman their third grandfather!) I had taught my sons and daughters self-defense. Luckily, only two ended up boxing. Now, Rubin gave me hell for "letting" my son box (he died before my daughter did). If one has never had the Hurricane yell at them, I can say it isn't pleasant. But I convinced him that I was in control of his career, since in USA Boxing he needed my okay to fight. I also suggested that he tell my son to stop, as he had told me many years before.
I told my son today about a podcast I watched a couple nights ago. Andre Ward, a great champion who never lost, interviewed the sister who takes care of Gerald McClellan. Andre is an intelligent, thoughful man, who was exposing the dark side of the sport. I could tell stories about the role of organized crime back in my day. Crazy times.
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