When young humans look to others for guidance or inspiration, it is usually based on being able to identify with certain characteristics or mannerisms of that particular individual. For instance, when I was about five years old I looked up to that character in the television show The Greatest American Hero. You know the guy with a cape that would fly around like a drunken pigeon usually landing in a pile of trash in the process to save the day. I likened myself to him despite the differences in our nationalities and the color of our hair due to the fact that I could relate to his clumsiness and overall look of being disheveled. I had a hard time relating to Superman as he was seemingly perfect and drinking carrot juice didn?t work in allowing me to see through buildings.
Yes, like most young children I cracked that watermelon that sits on top of my neck quite a few times trying to imitate this character.
What does all this have to do with boxing? Why would anyone care who ?The Boxing Bookie? identified himself with as a young chimpanzee?
I guess my basis for writing this article is questioning whether the biggest draw in our sport of boxing, Oscar De la Hoya, provides the aura that is needed for young children throughout the United States to look up to.
I just don?t know.
I?m not sure if potential young fighters can relate to Oscar?s squeaky clean image and constant political correctness. Leading up to the Bernard Hopkins-Winky Wright clash, ?The Executioner? made a great point stating, ?As long as there are poor people and ghettos in America, boxing will continue to thrive.? It is indeed a strong point but I must ask the question, ?Do those poor, hungry youngsters actually look up to ?The Golden Boy? as the man to give them inspiration and as the man to imitate not only in boxing but in life in general??
Yes I ask a lot of questions.
It?s quite evident when looking at young fighters today such as Andre Ward, Kendall Holt, and Jean Pascal that their styles are patented after a prime Roy Jones Jr. Even fighters in both boxing and mixed martial arts refer to their favorite guy to imitate growing up was a prime ?Iron? Mike Tyson. Sugar Ray Leonard was another fighter who captivated young people in his hey day and made youngster want to become boxers.
These three men had a certain level of showmanship, entertainment value, and even arrogance that made them larger than life figures. Roy was the akin to ?The Flash? with his speed and quickness, Tyson was comparable to Godzilla with his overwhelming destructive ferocity and power, and Leonard was a combination of Shaft and the WWF?s Mr. Wonderful due to his captivating smile and overall pizzazz.
While De la Hoya is obviously larger than life at the box office, the fact that basically all of his fights take place in Las Vegas, a place that shuns children, I truly believe that it can?t necessarily be all that productive in terms of giving children the avenue to relate to him.
I hate being misinterpreted so I want to make one thing very clear. I?m not saying that the ?Golden Boy? isn?t a good role model due to his commendable ability to stay out of the negative limelight as most boxers find it horribly difficult to do. I?m just wondering out loud whether this era?s biggest attraction is somebody that captivates the mind of young children today. I know Manny Pacquiao does if for young Filipinos growing up either here in the United States or in the Philippines. I know Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales do it for young scrappers in Mexico and even here on US soil. I?m sure Ricky Hatton brings inspiration to many kids within Manchester and the United Kingdom as a whole.
It?s been well documented that Oscar is adored in his hometown of East Los Angeles due to his generosity and involvement within the community. However, East LA is not representative of the whole country. Do children growing up in Brooklyn, Miami, San Antonio, or Seattle feel a connection with the ?Golden Boy?? With his movie star good looks it’d seem difficult for the average child growing up to be able to identify with him, especially those that want to become the next era?s prize fighters.
Being that Oscar is considered America?s biggest boxing star and by far the largest attraction, it?s an important question to answer as many of boxing?s biggest names are set to retire in the very near future.
Who will truly become the next Greatest American Hero?
