Boxing Tragedy and Death in 2016
Safe to say 2016 was a forgettable year for boxing fans. Not only did a couple of mega fights not get made, either as a result of promotional issues and/or allowing for big fights to "marinade with the public, it was also a tragic year for the sport as a number of fighters passed away. Muhammad Ali tops the list of fighters who lost their battle with father time, but I also write this article to pay respects to lesser known greats who also passed on in 2016.
Muhammed Ali – 56-5-0 – the passing of Muhammad Ali in a year with so much political and racial divide was ironic as much as tragic. His struggle and quest for equality during an era where minorities were without doubt a second class citizen was his biggest legacy. The disease that took his life not only took away his best attributes such as his ability to articulate complex topics, it deprived him of his epic hand eye coordination that made him a physical specimen at 6’3” 230 pounds with uncanny speed.
As a once in a life time generational figure, Ali's legacy seems to be fading. Ali stood up for what he believed in. It was never about money – as he left millions on the table -- for causes much greater than boxing. Coming off of the Civil Rights revolution, Ali experienced a backlash from white America for his "extreme" point of views and fight for equality. It was this pressure that also landed him as a villain against the likes of heavy weight greats Joe Frazier and George Foreman. Under extreme pressure, Ali always found a way to win and reminded everyone why he was truly great. In an era where taking an "L" was not the worst thing in the world, Ali symbolized greatness in the name of skill complimented by perseverance and effort. RIP to “The Greatest” of all time.
Aaron Pryor – 39-1-0 – an incredibly gifted fighter, the Undefeated wrote a great piece on Aaron worth checking out. As I did my own research, it does appear the light welterweight's career never achieved the heights many predicted it would. Trained by the late great Emanuel Stewart, Pryor was a rare combination of speed and power with a come forward fan friendly style. Pryor's biggest criticism was for whatever reason he never faced the "big names" of his era and weight divisions (Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and Ray Mancini to name a few).
At one point, late in Pyror's career, he finally signed a contract to fight Sugar Ray Leonard. It was going to be an epic fight for both fighters long over due to step in the ring. The fight never took place due to a freak injury Leonard sustained and forced him to retire early. It was possibly Pyror's biggest regret as a pro not being able to face the best in his era.
The biggest win of Pryor’s career was by far the dismantling of a legend, Alexis Arguello, in a non-competitive championship fight. Arguello was a little long in the tooth and moved up a couple of weight divisions to 140 lbs. That said, Pryor thoroughly dominated the Nicarguan legend twice. Another noticeable win for Pryior came in the 1976 Olympics, when he defeated Thomas Hearns on points as an amateur. The two never met as a professional to the disappointment of fight fans. At the age of 60, Pryor passed away with complications of heart disease. RIP Aaron “The Hawk” Pryor. Your relentless pressure, and unique speed and power will forever be a thing of legends for anyone who got to see you in the ring.
Boby Chacon – 59-7-1 – a Southern California native and two time featherweight champion, Chacon rose the boxing ranks the hard way. He was an incredibly active throughout his career. Boby had a small frame and short reach so he needed to work to get on the inside and hit his opponents. Chaco sort of reminded me of a modern day Marcos Maidana, but with better counter punching abilities and slightly less power. Chacon’s signature losses came to the likes of the Great Alexis Arguello and Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini who were hall of famers for their work in the lighter divisions. A noticable win for Chacon was defeating two time champ Roberto Garcia from Oxnard, and Jesus Estrada and Alfredo Mercano. By 1975, it was quite clear Chacon was being distracted by the fruits of his labor, the cars, women and drugs all caught up after a while. In the late 80s and early 90s, Chacon was forced to stay out of boxing as he displayed early signs of “boxer’s syndrome” a form of dementia. Given his long streak of activity and that he took a lot of damage in the ring, his pressure style made him a delight to fans at his own peril. RIP Chacon, for giving it all in the ring. I hope fight fans will look up the So Cal native and pay their respects.
Kimbo Slice – 7-0-0 – So maybe he doesn’t deserve the same recognition as the previously mentioned fighters. Kimbo Slice’s legacy will always be known as a “street fighter” more than boxer. Hailing from Miami, Florida, Kimbo made his reputation known on Youtube that will live on forever. The guy had raw boxing skills and a football helmet head to protect him in some brutal wars (in and out of the ring).
Too bad Kimbo did not meet boxing at an early age, he could have easily been one of the best heavy weights of this era. Unfortunately, distractions and illegal enhancers took Kimbo premature. The guy was a hell of an athlete with some serious combat skills. Respect Kimbo for the great knock out highlight reels you gave us.
