| |
|
THE PRICE OF PAIN
By Jim Amato PhilBoxing.com Tue, 23 Dec 2008

In many sports a participant is subject to pain. It goes with the territory. The nature of the beast so to speak. To me there can be no greater obvious damage to a participant than in boxing.
If you are a boxer and happen to be matched with a superior opponent you must try to summon the courage to endure the pain. It is the game and it is expected of you. Anything less from you could brand you as a coward to the average fan.
He who sits on couch and sips beer watching you take a first class shellacking. Oh the fan will call you a gutless dog but he has probably never stepped into the ring. If he has. it was probably not against world class opposition. I have seen some great fighters take terrible beatings. Case in point, the recent beat down of Oscar De La Hoya against a fighting machine named Manny Pacquiao. It was decisive and it was sad.
This brought back the memories of the great Ali being battered by Larry Holmes. Of Holmes being wasted by a young terror named Mike Tyson. There was an aging Jose Napoles being savaged by John Stracey. The worst for me was seeing my hero Roberto Duran being tormented by William Joppy. I can bring up so many other examples. Like Bobby Chacon being ripped apart by Ray Mancini. Etc, etc...It all spells one thing...SADNESS. Look at some of the beatings the great Julio Cesar Chavez absorbed as his career was winding down. Time waits for no man. Even the greatest will be defeated. Erosion takes a man's talent like a flowing river cuts through the earth.
I hope now the Oscar will retire. He has nothing left to prove. I worry that another great fighter, Shane Mosley will suffer a sad defeat at the hands of Antonio Margarito soon.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Jim Amato.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Traya, Bactol, De Barbo, Porres in Action in Highland Show in Thailand, live on DAZN By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 30 Aug 2025Bisutti, Panya Make Weight for UBO World Title in Highland Show on DAZN By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 30 Aug 2025Turki Alalshikh the most influential boxing leader in United Kingdom By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 30 Aug 2025Bambam will flight ‘clean & disciplined’ against Requito By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 30 Aug 2025Carlos Flowers Ready to Blossom on the World’s Stage at 2025 World Boxing Championships , Sat, 30 Aug 2025Traya eyes KO win against Thai tomorrow By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 29 Aug 2025Navarrete's Future in Question as He Resists Rematch with Charly Suarez By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 29 Aug 2025Davao's Corteza beats Biado, Aranas enters round-of-32 in P2 Million Bata Reyes 10 Ball Open By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 29 Aug 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimàn: The Growth of Boxing By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Fri, 29 Aug 2025Toshihiko Era Retains WBF Asia Strap in Thailand By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 29 Aug 2025Boxlab Promotions Signs Rising Cuban Prospects Ronny Alvarez and Pedro Veitia , Fri, 29 Aug 2025Boxing Legend & Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr. Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas , Fri, 29 Aug 2025Vayson vies for WBA/WBO titles By Joaquin Henson, , Thu, 28 Aug 2025Mexican "The Rock" Zamora, three-time female world champion with 20 world championship fights, retires By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 28 Aug 2025“I’M ONLY GETTING BETTER”: CONFIDENT PAT McCORMACK PLOTS HUGE HOMECOMING WIN OVER MIGUEL PARRA TO SPARK WORLD TITLE CHARGE , Thu, 28 Aug 2025Heart of a Lion: 'Lucky Boy' Reymark Alicaba Earns Praise Despite Loss by Points in Thailand By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 28 Aug 2025Dante Kirkman Looks to be the First Fighter to Stop Dylan Carlson , Thu, 28 Aug 2025Shawn Darling Inducted into New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame , Thu, 28 Aug 2025Arca wins 13th Mindanao Open chessfest By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 28 Aug 2025Carzano rules FIDE-Rated Open Rapid Chess Tournament By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 28 Aug 2025Pythons-Primo wins 5 golds, 3 silvers, 2 bronzes in Kadayawan judo By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 28 Aug 2025Crawford to Be Stripped of WBA Title Once He Climb the Ring to Fight Canelo By Dong Secuya, , Wed, 27 Aug 2025Sebastian Juarez Remains Undefeated with Captivating 4th Round TKO Over Louis Hernandez , Wed, 27 Aug 2025Jajaira Gonzalez Prepared to Meet the Moment at 2025 World Boxing Championships , Wed, 27 Aug 20252 Division & Former Unified World Champion Juan Francisco Estrada Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas , Wed, 27 Aug 2025 |

|
|
|
|
|