Late in his career, Whitaker (40-4-1, 17 KOs) struggled to stay motivated. Meanwhile, he struggled with substance abuse and fast living throughout virtually the entirety of his fighting life. He was, in the words of Bert Sugar, an artist. "Sweet Pea" was nothing short of remarkable between the ropes-a modern-day Willie Pep, only with more charisma. Unlike numerous others on this list, Pernell Whitaker's slippery, intelligent, technically-perfect style inside the ring belied his lack of discipline outside of it. McCoy served eight years at San Quintin and eventually killed himself in 1940. The next morning he held up her antiques shop and shot three other people (none of whom were killed). In 1924, a broke McCoy shot the wealthy married woman with whom he had been living when she considered reuniting with her husband. McCoy's colorful life, which at one point involved a career in Hollywood and a friendship with Charlie Chaplin, met a tragic end. He is credited as the inspiration for the phrase "the real McCoy" and the source of the your-shoe-is-untied gambit.īeyond these tricks, though, McCoy was one of the pioneers of "The Sweet Science." His craft and intelligence in the ring led him to a record of 86-7-10 (65 KOs) and a place as one of the greatest boxers to ever live. Legends also hold that he once tricked welterweight champ Tommy Ryan into believing he was sick prior to their 1896 fight. He allegedly wrapped his gloves with sand paper or tape to cut his opponents more easily. He could punch like hell and was not above bending the rules to best his foes. His annihilation of the talented DeMarco-who recently beat Jorge Linares with a come-from-behind stoppage-only suggests what might have come.Ĭharles "Kid" McCoy is one of boxing's looming figures-perhaps its most famous (or infamous). We will never know, of course, how good he could have been. Whatever madness drove him to destroy himself and those who loved him was also the force that drove him to the brink of greatness in the ring. The next day, he hanged himself in his jail cell. Shortly thereafter, he was arrested and forced to undergo psychiatric treatment for abusing his wife (among others), and in April 2010, stabbed her to death in a hotel room in Valencia, Venezuela. In what would be his final bout, Valero stopped Antonio DeMarco after Round 9 in February 2010. Traveling between three continents, the Venezuelan dynamo proceeded to knockout his first 18 opponents in the first round. As a result of complications from those injuries, Valero had difficulty attaining a license to fight in the U.S. His 28 years were as violent, spectacular and abbreviated as were his 27 fights, all of which he won by knockout.īefore turning professional, Valero crashed his motorcycle and sustained a fractured skull and brain bleed. It is uncanny the ways in which the characteristics of life outside and inside the ring intertwine. He has been denied parole on several occasions and will likely be deported once (or if) he is released. He was imprisoned in 1999 after attempting to rape a call girl in Las Vegas. He referred to himself as the President of the World, claimed that he was possessed by demons and repeatedly committed sexual assault. Ibeabuchi was, however, also a certifiable lunatic. Within his brief 20-fight career, he scored decisive victories over a prime David Tua and future titleholder Chris Byrd. The Nigerian heavyweight was one of the sport's fastest rising stars in the late 1990s. The most fascinating case might be that of Ike Ibeabuchi. He has since been released and had an exciting 2011 (in both a positive and negative sense). He was imprisoned for armed robbery in 2003, and again in 2009 for possession of a firearm and violating his parole. Johnny Tapia and "Prince" Naseem Hamed have both found recent legal trouble as a result of their preferred intoxicants.įor James Kirkland, he struggled to leave behind a world of poverty and crime. Substance abuse is a uniting factor here, as we will see in the rest of the slideshow.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |