“The fighters come…the fighters go.”–Ancient boxing maxim
That expression, often heard said by a fight promoter to a manager, a trainer or someone else associated with a particular boxer, used to make me feel nauseous.
I’m way past feeling greasy or queasy when hearing it now after the many times I’ve seen crooked promoters, double and triple dealing managers and, yes, ungrateful, disloyal fighters split the business sheets.
As no less an authority than Smokin’ Joe Frazier put it, “the promoters are like pimps and the fighters are like prostitutes.”
Well, they are because what does a fighter sell but his body and often his brains? It’s a skin game, baby, a skin game.
And what is a promoter but a flesh peddler (please don’t throw this back at me when I get my inevitable promoter’s license)?
Ditto for the manager, who like the promoter never takes a punch?
Same for the high-priced lawyer who files who spars only in a courtroom.
By now, you’ve discovered that the fight game is filled with mothers but no Mother Teresa types. It’s not a profession for the philanthropic.
As was said in the greatest boxing movie, “Requiem For A Heavyweight”: “If they had headroom, they would hold it in sewers.”
Jackie Gleason was magnificent as hardened and gambling debt challenged fight manager Maish Rennick in the movie.
His view of prizefighters as expressed to Mountain Rivera’s well meaning social worker/love interest, Julie Harris:
“You don’t understand the breed. You think you put clothes on an ape and you make him a dancing partner.”
Which brings us to Nonito Donaire Jr., who just unceremoniously dumped the Bob Arum Harem in favor of the Golden Boy Shelter for Homeless Bantamweights.
Yes, loyalty is usually a one way street in the upper echelons of boxing.
Having said that, what if Pinoy Idol Manny Pacquiao decided to leave the Top Rank Mothership, if he decided to hire another promoter or to make his fledgling MP Promotions his one and only promoter?
Well, Pacman is as human as Donaire. Pacman has already failed one loyalty test when the suitcase filled with cash Goldens tempted him and got him to ink a promo deal with them when he already had a contract with Arum’s Posse.
Don’t forget that Donaire was once with Gary Shaw and Pacquiao was saddled with Murad Muhammad.
Fighters spread their promotional wings and some, like mercurial Floyd Mayweather Jr., fantasize that they promote themselves.
Oscar De La Hoya actually did promote himself and his company continues beyond his ring retirement. Ricky Hatton is attempting to do the same in the UK.
The Klitschkos handle their own business with selected aides shuffling papers.
The fighters come…the fighters go.
Few boxers are angelic and rarely is a promoter a wolf in lamb’s clothing. Usually, they are wolves in their natural clothing.
Promoters like Arum and Don King have had 40 year careers and counting.
De La Hoya may toil in the promotional vienyard for another 40 years.
Managers such as Donaire’s Cameron Dunkin have multiple clients and lengthy duration in their jobs.
Trainers can train for decade after decade.
Pacquiao at age 32, what does he have left, maybe four or five solid years in the ring if he stays on top and retains his hunger that long?
Donaire, only four years younger, also has a short window of opportunity.
In his early years, King liked to cackle “I must go where the wild goose goes.”
He did not mean in the direction of Dan Goossen.
Donaire has gone with the Golden Goose.
The fighters come…the fighters go…
Plus ca change, meme la chose…as we say in Montparnasse.
