Ring of Fire: 3-24-62 to 3-24-07

[H2O Man]

On March 24, 1962, Emile Griffith knocked out Benny "Kid" Paret in a nationally televised Welterweight Title bout. In the 12th round, Emile hurt Benny, and hit him with a series of punches before the referee was able to get between the two. Benny's arm had been caught over a rope, keeping him from falling even after he was unconscious.

Paret never regained consciousness. He would die on April 3 from injuries sustained in the ring. Griffith would continue his career, and would become widely recognized as one of the best fighters of his era (1950s-'70s). He was a 3-time Welterweight and 2-time Middleweight Champion.

This Saturday, MSG will be featuring the movie "Ring of Fire: the Emile Griffith Story." I strongly recommend that sports fans watch this documentary on the 45th anniversary of this fight. It tells a lot about several of the sub-themes of the fight: the issue of Paret insulting Griffith for his homosexuality; managers who treated boxers like animals; promoters who let Paret, who had been KOed in 2 of his last 3 fights before this one -- including taking a significant beating in his KO loss to Gene Fullmer three months before the Griffith fight -- risk his health so that they could make a dollar off him; and about telivision's relationship with the sport of boxing.

I've met Emile Griffith a few times over the years. I sat with him at ringside, at Madison Square Garden, for the second Ali vs Frazier fight. The last time I saw him was at the Boxing Hall of Fame. He is a gentle, decent human being. Emile took a lot of crap from small-minded people who couldn't accept him for the man he was. That had to hurt. And he was haunted by Benny's death. The movie shows him, at the end, meeting Benny's son, and being able to come to grips with what happened.

[Annces]

1. I agree

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It was very moving and gave me insight into the sport of boxing. Also of interest to me was that he fought many of the Cuban boxers, (which you pointed out once) and that Cuba has produced a large number of top boxers.

Here is a couple good youtube clips of boxing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imPJLHLt5EM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEd-WCC9WfM

[H2O Man]

2. Kid Paret's

first 23 fights were in Cuba. For the first half of the 1960s, the welterweight division -- one of the very toughest in the sport -- had Griffith and two gifted Cuban warriors, Benny Paret and Luis Rodriguez, at the top. Both Paret and Rodriguez had series of fights with Griffith; Benny won 1 and lost two; Luis won 1 and lost 3. Both won the title from Griffith.

In '65, Luis twice decisioned my friend Rubin Carter (who KOed Emile in 1 round). In 1969, although he was near the end of a long career, Luis was easily beating Middleweight Champion Nino Benvenuti in Rome, when the referee committed one of the grosser unjustices in boxing history; it resulted in Nino retaining his crown.

The American amateur boxing program today is using parts of the Cuban model. It's different than when I was a youngster, and in some ways, better organized. Fewer kids participate, however.

[H2O Man]

3. Two days

until the movie.

[H2O Man]

4. Sports Illustrated on Griffith:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/magazine/04/12/griffith0418/index.html

Great article.

[Annces]

5. He did it his way

I've loved, I've laughed and cried
I've had my fill, my share of losing
And now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing
To think I did all that
And may I say, not in a shy way,
"Oh, no, oh, no, not me, I did it my way"

For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows and did it my way!