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User:KJordan/sandbox: Difference between revisions
I fixed everything in the sandbox and copied it onto the main article. It will be finished by tomorrow night.
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Other writers have made similar claims in connection with other fighters. | Other writers have made similar claims in connection with other fighters. | ||
Jack Dempsey’s “overwhelming power made many people overlook the calculation that went into every punch he threw,” Roger Kahn writes in ''A Flame of Pure Fire''.“In that regard, he was a thinking, even intellectual boxer.” In the | Jack Dempsey’s “overwhelming power made many people overlook the calculation that went into every punch he threw,” Roger Kahn writes in ''A Flame of Pure Fire''. “In that regard, he was a thinking, even intellectual boxer.” In the | ||
first volume of ''A Man without Qualities'', published not long after Dempsey’s reign as heavyweight champion ended, novelist Robert Musil prefigured Torres and D’Amato with observations like this one: “the tricks and | first volume of ''A Man without Qualities'', published not long after Dempsey’s reign as heavyweight champion ended, novelist Robert Musil prefigured Torres and D’Amato with observations like this one: “the tricks and | ||
dodges used by an inventive mind in going through the logical operations of | dodges used by an inventive mind in going through the logical operations of | ||
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Part of boxers’ “culture,” in the view of Torres and his fellow thinkers, is | Part of boxers’ “culture,” in the view of Torres and his fellow thinkers, is | ||
the ability to lie successfully. As Jeremy Campbell notes in his so-called history of falseness, ''A Liar’s'' ''Tale'',“when winning is the important factor, deceitfulness is a kind of ethic....” From a technical standpoint, Ali did plenty | the ability to lie successfully. As Jeremy Campbell notes in his so-called history of falseness, ''A Liar’s'' ''Tale'', “when winning is the important factor, deceitfulness is a kind of ethic....” From a technical standpoint, Ali did plenty | ||
“wrong,” but excelled nonetheless because of his cleverness, his ability to con | “wrong,” but excelled nonetheless because of his cleverness, his ability to con | ||
his opponents. He perfected the liar’s ethic. | his opponents. He perfected the liar’s ethic. | ||
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looking at it. Boxing is much more than two brutes beating up on each other. | looking at it. Boxing is much more than two brutes beating up on each other. | ||
It is also more complicated than one fighter tricking an unprepared dupe: | It is also more complicated than one fighter tricking an unprepared dupe: | ||
mismatches may be a part of the game, but they are boring.When the fighters are well matched physically and also shrewd strategists, with each seeking to exploit the other’s desire to find an opening, an advantage, a | mismatches may be a part of the game, but they are boring. When the fighters are well matched physically and also shrewd strategists, with each seeking to exploit the other’s desire to find an opening, an advantage, a | ||
weakness—then the sport rises to the level of art. | weakness—then the sport rises to the level of art. | ||
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sport’s mental aspect, which Torres so prizes, comes into play when physical abilities are comparable. Ali, the “Louisville Lip,” was able to back up his bluster, even if he did so with an unorthodox style. | sport’s mental aspect, which Torres so prizes, comes into play when physical abilities are comparable. Ali, the “Louisville Lip,” was able to back up his bluster, even if he did so with an unorthodox style. | ||
The idea that boxers, individuals who choose to engage in a | The idea that boxers, individuals who choose to engage in a brain damaging game, are smart might strike the uninitiated as peculiar if not | ||
ridiculous. Indeed, the strangeness of associating fighters with intelligence | ridiculous. Indeed, the strangeness of associating fighters with intelligence | ||
cause some to doubt that Torres actually wrote his books ~he also published | cause some to doubt that Torres actually wrote his books ~he also published | ||
a biography of Tyson!. A rumor suggested that Mailer actually wrote Torres’s | a biography of Tyson!. A rumor suggested that Mailer actually wrote Torres’s | ||
portions of the Ali book. Jonathan Rendell, in his brilliantly titled ''This'' | portions of the Ali book. Jonathan Rendell, in his brilliantly titled ''This'' | ||
''Bloody Mary Is the Last Thing I Own'', recounts hearing a version of it.“Mailer | ''Bloody Mary Is the Last Thing I Own'', recounts hearing a version of it. “Mailer | ||
wrote it for him,” the man on the next barstool explained to Rendell. “That | wrote it for him,” the man on the next barstool explained to Rendell. “That | ||
was the deal they had. Torres taught Mailer how to box and Mailer wrote | was the deal they had. Torres taught Mailer how to box and Mailer wrote | ||
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a character,” he writes in Only in America: The Life and Crimes of Don King. | a character,” he writes in Only in America: The Life and Crimes of Don King. | ||
“That’s why writers and filmmakers are drawn to it. Almost everyone in | “That’s why writers and filmmakers are drawn to it. Almost everyone in | ||
boxing is a colorful story teller with a touch of lunacy or larceny.” It is certainly true that he chose to focus on one of boxing’s colorful characters in King. A former numbers runner who killed two men, King became fabulously wealthy by using the rhetoric of racial solidarity to sign black boxers to his promotional company and then exploit them mercilessly,according to Newfield’s account. Newfield finds conniving and cunning not | boxing is a colorful story teller with a touch of lunacy or larceny.” It is certainly true that he chose to focus on one of boxing’s colorful characters in King. A former numbers runner who killed two men, King became fabulously wealthy by using the rhetoric of racial solidarity to sign black boxers to his promotional company and then exploit them mercilessly, according to Newfield’s account. Newfield finds conniving and cunning not | ||
only on the business side of the sport, but in the fights themselves. He discusses the Ali-Foreman bout in terms very similar to Mailer’s, writing: “Boxing is based on deceit. Fighters are taught to lie—to conceal fatigue, mask | only on the business side of the sport, but in the fights themselves. He discusses the Ali-Foreman bout in terms very similar to Mailer’s, writing: “Boxing is based on deceit. Fighters are taught to lie—to conceal fatigue, mask | ||
pain, disguise intent with a feint, deny an injury, look one way and punch | pain, disguise intent with a feint, deny an injury, look one way and punch | ||
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Albert Camus describes boxers as “gods with cauliflower ears,” giving some | Albert Camus describes boxers as “gods with cauliflower ears,” giving some | ||
indication of the respect he has for athletes who, like Sisyphus, persevere | indication of the respect he has for athletes who, like Sisyphus, persevere | ||
through ultimately pointless endeavors. He also transmutes physical combat into the equivalent of a matter of language, viewing a fight as though | through ultimately pointless endeavors. He also transmutes physical combat into the equivalent of a matter of language, viewing a fight as though it were an argument. Fighters’ representative capabilities—their amply | ||
it were an argument. Fighters’ representative capabilities—their amply | |||
documented tendency to be regarded by spectators as the embodiment | documented tendency to be regarded by spectators as the embodiment | ||
of a race, an ethnicity or a nationality—offers writers plenty of material | of a race, an ethnicity or a nationality—offers writers plenty of material | ||